Jonathan Thomas Gorman

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

Jonathan Thomas Gorman, a solicitor and Head of Commercial Property at EAD Solicitors LLP, was found to have failed to properly advise clients and protect their interests in multiple high-value property transactions (largely involving companies connected to a former solicitor, RW), failed to perform an undertaking given to another solicitor, and caused the firm's client account to be used as a banking facility. The Tribunal proceeded in his absence after refusing an adjournment request. It found all three allegations proved on the balance of probabilities and expressly found dishonesty (applying Ivey) in respect of each. Finding no exceptional circumstances under Sharma/James, the Tribunal struck him off the Roll and ordered him to pay costs of £40,000 (reduced from £55,652.60 claimed).

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Act in the client's best interests
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• No improper use of client money
• Honour professional undertakings

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonesty found
• Deliberate, calculated, repeated and systematic conduct over many months
• Close and complicit relationship with RW featuring in many transactions
• Harm spread across multiple clients in high value property transactions
• Alleged losses of around £9m to the S Clients
• Failure to co-operate or engage meaningfully with the Regulator
• No genuine insight or admissions
• Did not self-report; conduct brought to Regulator's attention by others

Mitigating factors:

• No previous disciplinary findings / hitherto unblemished career