The latest lawyer to join the swollen pack of Dodgy Solicitors is an associate who stole £60,000 from Manches' clients.
Oonagh Grant wins her orange card after being struck off by the Solicitors Regulation Authority this month, although she was convicted back in 2011. Grant was a real estate associate at Manches, but her theft was not discovered until after she left the firm. At the time of her arrest insiders told RollOnFriday that partners had signed off invoices for "agents fees" that went to personal accounts linked to the lawyer, and that her crimes had gone unnoticed for weeks.
After the associate's files were reviewed it was discovered that she had arranged for the transfer of £62,000 to the accounts of third parties who were linked to her. At her subsequent trial she admitted ten counts of theft and received a two year suspended sentence. Just four years later, the SRA has weighed in to confirm that it would be "undesirable" for Grant to work in the law. It has banned her from employment by any solicitor or in a solicitor's practice without its permission.
A spokesman for Manches did not comment, because in the intervening years it went bust.
Tip Off ROF
Oonagh Grant wins her orange card after being struck off by the Solicitors Regulation Authority this month, although she was convicted back in 2011. Grant was a real estate associate at Manches, but her theft was not discovered until after she left the firm. At the time of her arrest insiders told RollOnFriday that partners had signed off invoices for "agents fees" that went to personal accounts linked to the lawyer, and that her crimes had gone unnoticed for weeks.
And the winner of hospital pass of the year goes to Grant's handover notes |
After the associate's files were reviewed it was discovered that she had arranged for the transfer of £62,000 to the accounts of third parties who were linked to her. At her subsequent trial she admitted ten counts of theft and received a two year suspended sentence. Just four years later, the SRA has weighed in to confirm that it would be "undesirable" for Grant to work in the law. It has banned her from employment by any solicitor or in a solicitor's practice without its permission.
A spokesman for Manches did not comment, because in the intervening years it went bust.
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Couldn't regulate their way out of a paper bag!
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It was also alleged that she had not qualified in any legal exams. She arrived at Manches after a merger with Marshall Ross & Prevezer who did not check her qualifications (allegedly).
It was not the only case of dishonesty by legal staff at Manches.
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