Disciplinary Record - Christopher Kelvin Dutertre

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 24 October 2016

Published date: 2 November 2016

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Blake Morgan LLP (formerly Blake Lapthorn LLP)

Address(es): Harbour Court, Compass Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 4ST

Firm ID: 613715

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Reasons/basis

The facts

Mr Christophe Kelvin Du Tertre, a person who is not a solicitor, was employed by Blake Lapthorn as a fee earner in the firm's French Private Assets and Tax Team. During the course of his employment he was found to have misappropriated £3,562.19 of client money between 2010 and 2011. He left firm between July 2013 and October 2014.

Mr Du Tertre was ordered to pay £600 in costs and was made the subject of an order pursuant to Section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974.

Finding

Mr Du Tertre was involved in a legal practice (as defined by section 43(1A) of the Solicitors Act 1974) but not as a solicitor and has occasioned or been a party to an act or default which involved such conduct on his part that in the opinion of the Society it would be 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(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 that with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mr Du Tertre 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 a Society permission.

This order is subject to an internal right of appeal and a statutory right of review to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.