Disciplinary Record - Gemma Luson

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 12 July 2019

Published date: 28 August 2019

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Burges Salmon LLP

Address(es):

Firm ID: One Glass Wharf, Bristol, BS2 0ZX

Firm or organisation at date of publication

Name: 401114

Address(es):

Firm ID:

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Section 43

Reasons/basis

In the matter of:

Gemma Luson, a person who is or was involved in legal practice but is not a solicitor, is now subject to section 43 Solicitors Act 1974 (as amended).

The facts:

At the relevant time Mrs Luson was employed by Burges Salmon at One Glass Wharf, Bristol, BS2 0ZX as a trainee legal executive.

In June 2018 Mrs Luson submitted evidence to her supervisor to support her application to become a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. It was found that that evidence was fabricated. Mrs Luson left the firm on 12 June 2018 and is not currently employed.

Her conduct was found to be dishonest.

Finding

I find that Mrs Luson is or was involved in a legal practice (as defined by section 43 (1A) of the Solicitors Act 1974) but is not a solicitor and has occasioned or been a party to, with or without the connivance of a solicitor, an act or default in relation to a legal practice which involved conduct on her part of such a nature that in the opinion of the Society it would be undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways set out in the order below.

Order

To make a section 43 order that with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mrs Luson 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 a Society permission.