Neil Lima Frew

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Neil Lima Frew, admitted as a solicitor in 2008 and a salaried partner at Chambers Solicitors in Bradford, was convicted on 23 November 2016 at Sheffield Crown Court of conspiracy to defraud the Legal Aid Agency by pretending to use a company for interpreters' services when arranged directly by the firm. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years plus 200 hours unpaid work. Dishonesty was the mens rea for the fraud offence, and the conviction served as conclusive proof. He admitted breaches of Principles 1, 2 and 6. The Tribunal, dealing with the matter on the papers via an Agreed Outcome, found no exceptional circumstances and struck him off the Roll, ordering costs of £846.84.

Duties found breached:

• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank

Aggravating factors:

• Criminal conviction for conspiracy to defraud the Legal Aid Agency
• Fraudulent activity conducted over a sustained period of time
• Abuse of a position of responsibility
• Dishonesty is the mens rea for the offence of fraud

Mitigating factors:

• No evidence that as a salaried partner he benefited financially from the fraud
• Admitted the allegation in its entirety
• Cooperated by agreeing to resolve the matter by way of Agreed Outcome