A secretary sacked by Norton Rose Fulbright and banned from the profession for stealing has changed her name to work at another firm.

Georgia Penton worked as a secretary at the London office of Norton Rose Fulbright when she submitted three false cash advance forms. The scam netted her a grand total of £558.33. Her deception was discovered, the firm decided she knew she was not entitled to the cash and she was sacked. Penton was dismissed for dishonesty and gross misconduct in March 2016. 

  There was something odd about Georgio Pétanque.

She was also reported to the SRA, which made her subject to a section 43 notice. Applied to individuals involved in a legal practice who are not themselves solicitors, the notice means no solicitor is permitted to employ or remunerate Penton in connection with a solicitor’s practice without the SRA's permission.

However, RollOnFriday has discovered that Penton is now working at another London firm under an assumed name. Her new employers were aware of her real identity, but it is not clear whether they sought or obtained the SRA exemption. Repeated calls and emails to the senior and managing partners went suspiciously unanswered, almost as if they were cowering behind a potplant after being caught with their pants down. The SRA declined to comment, citing data protection rules which it said prevented it from making disclosures concerning non-solicitors.
Tip Off ROF