Disciplinary Record - Karisha Marie Young

Decision - Control of practice

Outcome: Condition

Outcome date: 24 May 2023

Published date: 30 May 2023

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Slater and Gordon UK Limited

Address(es): 58 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3HZ

Firm ID: 591058

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Who does the decision relate to?

Karisha Marie Young of Liverpool

Summary of decision

The SRA has disqualified Miss Young from holding any of the following roles in law firms regulated by the SRA:

• Head of Legal Practice
• Head of Finance and Administration
• A manager
• An employee.

The facts of the case

Miss Young, who is not a solicitor, was a caseload handler in the post settlement team at Slater and Gordon UK Limited, 58 Mosley Street, Manchester, M3 (the firm). Miss Young was dismissed from the firm in March 2022.

It was found that:

1. Miss Young took a Jigsaw client cheque book from her employer, Slater and Gordon without its permission. In doing so, Miss Young breached Principles 2, 4 and 5 of the SRA Principles 2019.
2. Miss Young cashed a cheque in the sum of £1,000 from the Jigsaw cheque book into her personal bank account on 10 February 2022. In doing so, Ms Young breached Principles 2, 4 and 5 of the SRA Principles 2019.
3. Miss Young failed to cooperate with the SRA during its investigation and she failed to respond to its request for an explanation about her conduct. In doing so, Ms Young breached paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Firms 2019.

Miss Young’s conduct was serious by reference to the following factors in the SRA Enforcement Strategy: it was deliberate, it was dishonest, and it posed a risk to the reputation of the firm and the wider profession.

Our decision on sanction

Miss Young’s conduct breached relevant duties that applied to her as an employee of the firm, namely SRA Principles 2, 4 and 5 (2019), and paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Firms 2019.

It was found that it would be undesirable for Miss Young to act as a head of legal practice, head of finance and administration, a manager or an employee of a body licensed in accordance with section 99 of the Legal Services Act 2007.

Miss Young was disqualified from holding any of these roles.

Miss Young was also ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600.

SRA Principles (2019)

Principle 2 You act in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors’ profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons.

Principle 4 You act with honesty.

Principle 5 You act with integrity.

SRA Code of Conduct for Firms 2019

Paragraph 3.2 You cooperate with the SRA, other regulators, ombudsmen and those bodies with a role overseeing and supervising the delivery of, or investigating concerns in relation to, legal services.

Paragraph 3.3 You respond promptly to the SRA and provide full and accurate explanations, information and documentation in response to any requests or requirements.