Disciplinary Record - Laurence Ives

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 20 August 2021

Published date: 29 September 2021

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Plexus Legal LLP

Address(es): Josephs Well, Hanover Walk, Leeds, LS3 1AB

Firm ID: 638317

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Mr Ives was issued with a section 43 order by the Adjudicator and ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600 in investigating this matter.

Reasons/basis

ORDER FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE MATTER OF: Laurence Ives of Leigh, Essex

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

THE FACTS

Mr Ives was employed as head of business development at Plexus Law LLP (the firm) whose head office is at Josephs Well, Hanover Walk, Leeds, LS3 1AB. The firm is a licensed body.

On 17 April 2020, Mr Ives pleaded guilty to 16 sexual offences involving children at Basildon Crown Court. On 15 July 2020, he was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment, was placed indefinitely on the Sex Offenders Register and made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The firm dismissed Mr Ives immediately upon being informed of his conviction and sentence.

FINDING

Laurence Ives, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has been convicted of a criminal offence which is such that it is undesirable for him 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:

1. no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
2. no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
3. no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
4. no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
5. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
6. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to have an interest in the body

except in accordance with the SRA’s permission.

Mr Ives was also ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600 in investigating this matter.