Founding former partner of law firm struck off for dishonesty

The founding partner of a Manchester law firm has been struck off and ordered by pay nearly £7,500 in costs for acting dishonestly by purporting to represent the company in dealings with third parties after he had left the company.

Stuart Michael Stones, 39, held himself out as having the authority of Ratio Law to send letters to third parties when he was not employed by the firm.

Stones was part of the Ratio Law practice at Hanover House on Charlotte Street from January, 2010 until January, 2015.

But he made untrue and misleading statements in letters dated May 15, 2015 and June 4, 2015, by confirming Ration Law was instructed by SFES Capital and its “client” respectively when they were not.

He also made untrue statements in an email dated October 15, 2015 to Andrew O’Neill, the solicitor acting for Ratio Law over the matter, by confirming: “other than the two letters provided in your email there are no other letters in circulation” and “the attached letters are the only letters provided” when several letters had been written on the Ratio Law letterhead.

Stones, who did not attend the Solicitors Regulation Authority hearing in Birmingham, also practised without insurance between April, 2015 and June, 2015.

Close