Disciplinary Record - Haley Tansey

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Approval of employment (section 43)

Outcome date: 22 November 2019

Published date: 7 January 2020

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: DWF LLP

Address(es): 1 Scott Place, 2 Hardman Street, Manchester, M3 3AA

Firm ID: 469044

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Between 17 October 2014 and 15 September 2017, Mrs Tansey was employed first as a paralegal and then as a trainee solicitor by DWF LLP. The firm dismissed her on 15 September 2017 for gross misconduct shortly before the end of her training contract.

The following findings were made in relation to Mrs Tansey:

1. She disclosed confidential information and personal data to a third party on multiple occasions without the firm’s authority.
2. In breach of her contracts of employment, she failed to obtain the firm’s prior written consent for her to engage in outside businesses and/or employment arrangements.

It was found that her conduct breached SRA Principles 2, 4, 5 and 6 and failed to achieve outcome 4.1 of the SRA Code of Conduct 2011.

An order was made pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 in relation to Mrs Tansey. She was also given a written rebuke and was ordered to pay a £2,000 financial penalty. She was also ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £1,350 in investigating this matter.

Mrs Tansey is not currently working at, or for, an SRA regulated practice.

ORDER FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE MATTER OF: Haley Tansey of Skipton, North Yorkshire

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

SECTION 43 SOLICITORS ACT 1974 (AS AMENDED)

FINDING

Mrs Tansey 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 her part 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 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 Mrs Tansey of Skipton, North Yorkshire 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.