Disciplinary Record - Abigail Town (formerly Gordon)

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)

Outcome date: 25 August 2021

Published date: 15 October 2021

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Gouldingays Family Law & Mediation Limited

Address(es): 28 Castle Gate, Newark on Trent, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1BG.

Firm ID: 612238

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

IN THE MATTER OF: Abigail Town (formerly Abigail Gordon) of Newark, Nottinghamshire.

A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor.

THE FACTS

Abigail Town (formerly Abigail Gordon) was a trainee solicitor at Gouldingays Family Law & Mediation (the firm), whose offices are at 28 Castle Gate, Newark on Trent, NG24 1BG. The firm is a recognised body. Mrs Town’s employment at the firm was terminated on 15 September 2020.

It was found that Mrs Town completed an ID1 form to verify someone’s identity and said on the form that she was a solicitor when she was not.

It was found that Mrs Town acted dishonestly.

FINDING

Mrs Town, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has occasioned or been party to an act or default which involved such conduct on her part that it is undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.

ORDER

To make an order pursuant to section 43 that with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Abigail Town (formerly Abigail Gordon) of Newark, Nottinghamshire of this decision:

1. no solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
2. no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the solicitor’s practice;
3. no recognised body shall employ or remunerate her;
4. no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the business of that body;
5. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to be a manager of the body; and
6. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to have an interest in the body

except in accordance with the SRA’s prior written permission.

Mrs Town was also ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600.