Disciplinary Record - Kookie Gibson

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 29 November 2022

Published date: 6 December 2022

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Fletchers Solicitors Limited

Address(es): St. James House, 7 Charlotte Street, Manchester, M1 4DZ

Firm ID: 469026

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

In the matter of: Kookie Gibson of Lancashire

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

The facts

Ms Gibson was employed by the licensed body Fletchers Solicitors Limited between November 2015 and 1 April 2021.

It was found that on 4 September 2020, Ms Gibson created two letters and backdated them to 10 and 24 August 2020. Ms Gibson attached the letters to a witness statement for the court in which she said she had attempted to contact the client on those dates when she knew she had not.

Ms Gibson’s conduct was found to be dishonest.

Finding

Ms Gibson, who is not a solicitor, 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 Gibson 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 the SRA’s prior written permission.

Ms Gibson was ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £300.