In a shocking revelation, Lee Darien Kerr, a non-solicitor and former manager at Sutton-based firm Porter & Co Law Limited, has been disqualified from holding roles in law firms. His disqualification follows an investigation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) that uncovered improper payments exceeding £500,000 from the client account, a substantial portion of which ended up in Kerr’s personal bank account.
#LegalEthics #SRAInvestigation #LawFirmMisconduct #ClientAccountAbuse #LegalNews
Lee Darien Kerr’s disqualification stems from his actions as a manager at Porter & Co Law Limited from March 24, 2021, to October 6, 2021. The SRA intervention into the firm revealed Kerr’s unauthorized transfers from the client account for personal gain, a blatant violation of ethical standards.
Despite being aware of an ongoing SRA investigation, Kerr continued his illicit activities. He even provided false information in a firm closure notice form in August 2021, misleading the SRA by claiming the firm had ceased trading and held no client money. This misinformation allowed him to persist in taking client money for personal gain.
The SRA recovered some client money through intervention, but a significant amount remains unaccounted for. Kerr’s improper payments, totaling £19,744.09 between June and September 2021, and a subsequent transfer of £113,782.86 from the client account to the firm’s office account, highlight the extent of his misconduct. In a probate matter, Kerr transferred £572,930.94 from the client account, with the majority funneling into his personal bank account.
Kerr’s actions constituted serious breaches of the SRA Accounts Rules, the SRA Principles 2019, and the SRA code of conduct for firms. The SRA characterized his conduct as deliberate, dishonest, lacking integrity, causing significant client loss, and posing a risk to the firm’s reputation and the legal profession at large.
As a result of these findings, Kerr has been disqualified from holding roles as Head of Legal Practice, Head of Finance and Administration, manager, or employee of a body licensed under section 99 of the Legal Services Act 2007.
#LegalEthics #SRAInvestigation #LawFirmMisconduct #ClientAccountAbuse #LegalNews
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