Disciplinary Record - Kate Fletcher

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 4 August 2022

Published date: 17 August 2022

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Slater Heelis LLP

Address(es): 86 Deansgate,Manchester,M3 2ER

Firm ID: 567155

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

ORDER FOR PUBLICATION IN THE MATTER OF: Kate Fletcher of Denton, Manchester A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor

THE FACTS

Between 23 July 2018 and November 2020, Ms Fletcher worked at Slater Heelis Limited whose head office is at Lloyds Bank Building, 16 School Road, Sale, M33 7XP, England. She worked in the firm’s wills and probate department. The following findings were made against Ms Fletcher which related to conduct in or around September and October 2020: 1. Ms Fletcher fabricated letters of administration in relation to a probate estate which were purportedly dated 14 September 2020. She also misled her clients on 25 September 2020, 16 October 2020 and 27 October 2020 in relation to whether letters of administration had been granted. 2. Ms Fletcher fabricated an enduring power of attorney for an individual which was purportedly registered on 12 September 2020 by the Office of the Public Guardian. She also misled her client in relation to the status of the application. It was found that Ms Fletcher’s conduct was dishonest. Ms Fletcher was ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600 in investigating this matter.

FINDING

Ms Fletcher, 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 her part that it is 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 Ms Fletcher of this decision: (i) no solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor; (ii) no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the solicitor's practice; (iii) no recognised body shall employ or remunerate her; (iv) no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the business of that body; (v) no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to be a manager of the body; and (vi) 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 the SRA’s prior written permission.