Disciplinary Record - Andrew La Roche

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 6 September 2022

Published date: 12 October 2022

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Address(es): 7 Pilgrim Street London EC4V 6LB

Firm ID: 371115

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Reasons/basis

The facts

Between 16 June 2002 and 21 October 2021 Mr La Roche worked for Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (the firm) whose head office is at 7 Pilgrim Street, London, EC4V 6LB. He was employed as a finance assistant. He resigned from the firm on 21 October 2021.

It was found that between October 2017 and October 2021 Mr La Roche sold the firm's property on eBay without its knowledge or consent, and together with a colleague, received £47,475.13 from the various sales.

It was also found that in or around November 2021 Mr La Roche misled Milbank LLP when applying for a job as to the reason why he had left Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. Mr La Roche was employed by Milbank LLP, whose head office is at 100 Liverpool Street, London EC2M 2AT, between 29 November 2021 and 7 April 2022 when he was then dismissed for failing to complete the firm's pre-employment checks to its satisfaction.

It was found that Mr La Roche's conduct in relation to the above was dishonest.

Mr La Roche was ordered to pay the SRA's costs of £600 in investigating this matter.

Finding

Mr La Roche, who is not a solicitor, is or was involved in a legal practice and has occasioned or been a party to an act or default which involved such conduct on his part that it is undesirable for him 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 Mr La Roche of this decision:

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