Geoffrey Hart

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

Geoffrey Hart, a solicitor and director at Ward & Rider Ltd, admitted that between 12 and 26 July 2017 he wrote letters to Client A misstating the value of her personal injury settlement (£40,000 rather than the true £55,000) to help conceal the true sum from her husband, and that on 5 June 2017 he disclosed confidential information about Client B to his wife for use in her own legal practice without consent. He admitted dishonesty in respect of the misleading correspondence. The matter was resolved by agreed outcome on the papers. The Tribunal found the admissions properly made and, applying the Sanctions Guidance and Sharma, ordered that he be struck off the Roll and pay agreed costs of £9,000.

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• No conflict between current clients
• Handle inadvertently received material

Aggravating factors:

• Deliberate dishonesty with intention that misleading correspondence be used to mislead third parties as to settlement value
• Misleading letter created knowing reliance would be placed on it as a solicitor's truthful statement
• Knowingly disclosed confidential client information without consent for the benefit of a close relative
• Failed to meet high standards expected of professionals

Mitigating factors:

• No previous appearance before the Tribunal
• Exceptional personal circumstances including bereavement and fertility difficulties, with a clinical psychologist diagnosis of anxiety, depression and adjustment disorder
• Acted out of character
• Made no attempt to conceal the letters and pressed employer to recall the misleading letter, which was successfully recovered before being shown to anyone