Burnley lawyer struck off after dishonesty probe

A FORMER partner at Burnley law firm SFN Solicitors has been struck off for dishonesty after a tribunal heard she used more than £400,000 of clients’ cash to prop up the business.

A Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal heard how Kimberley Bridge tried to conceal a £186,000 shortfall in the client account by creating a fictitious property sale, then claiming she was taking the lender to court for failing to send through the mortgage money.

By August 2012 some £714,000 had not been allocated to the correct clients and it was discovered that £232,000 had been paid into Bridge’s personal account.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which brought the case, eventually discovered a shortage of £418,000 resulting from a number of improper transactions, including a payment of £27,000 from the client account to pay council tax on a property the firm owned. SFN was closed down by the SRA in January 2013.

The tribunal found 19 allegations proven against Bridge, including failing to act in the best interests of clients, failing to act with integrity and making improper withdrawals from the client account.

Bridge’s sister Nicola Roach who worked at the firm as a clerk, has been banned from working in a law firm without permission from the relevant authorities for four counts of dishonesty. The tribunal also considered SFN’s other partners, John Charles McNabb and Tracy Stansfield. They were respectively fined £2,000 and reprimanded.

The tribunal upheld 10 similar allegations against Roach, while McNabb and Stansfield also had 10 allegations proved against them after failing to protect client money and assets.

In a statement the tribunal said: “This is a very sad but disturbing case. Mrs Bridge and Ms Roach deliberately and systematically defrauded everyone around them, including Mr McNabb and Mrs Stansfield. Neither Mr McNabb nor Mrs Stansfield derived benefit, and indeed suffered enormous loss.

“Mr McNabb was a senior solicitor. He was present throughout the last year and perhaps could have done more. We believe a £10,000 fine is appropriate, but given his means, have decided to fine him £2,000.

“Mrs Stansfield suffered from health problems. She made significant attempts to take advice. She has been declared bankrupt. However, she was a partner, and that is reflected in her admissions.”

Gordon Ramsay, SRA director for legal and enforcement, said: “Solicitors hold positions of trust, and the principles we expect them to abide by state they must act with integrity and maintain that trust that the public puts in them. Those solicitors that fail to uphold these principles can expect to face severe consequences.

“In Mrs Bridge’s case, she misused significant sums of clients’ money that had been entrusted to her. The consequences for these clients could have been devastating. Striking her off was clearly appropriate, as is the order banning Ms Roach from working in a solicitors firm without permission.”

Bridge was arrested by on suspicion of theft, fraud, and forgery by Lancashire police a year ago. Last week she was re-bailed until May 17.