Disciplinary Record - Matthew Unwin

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 29 January 2021

Published date: 8 March 2021

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

ORDER FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE MATTER OF: Matthew Unwin of Manchester

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

THE FACTS

Between 6 February 2012 and 25 September 2018, Mr Unwin was employed as a financial management executive by the recognised body DWF LLP. He worked at the firm’s Manchester office. Mr Unwin was dismissed on 25 September 2018 for gross misconduct.

It was found that between March/April 2018 and September 2018, Mr Unwin sexually harassed a junior colleague by sending her sexually explicit WhatsApp messages.

FINDING

Mr Unwin 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 his part, 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 with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mr Unwin of Manchester of this decision:

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