Disciplinary Record - Michelle Ryan

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 25 November 2021

Published date: 3 December 2021

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP

Address(es): Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP 40 Bank Street | Canary Wharf | London | E14 5DS

Firm ID: 80014

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Reasons/basis

IN THE MATTER OF: Michelle Ryan of Shorne, Kent

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

THE FACTS

Ms Ryan was a secretarial co-ordinator with Skadden Arps Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP (the firm) of 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf London E14 5DS. The firm is a recognised body. Ms Ryan’s employment was terminated on 4 January 2019.

It was found that Ms Ryan misled the Human Resources department of the firm as between April and November 2018 she:

1. submitted 11 inaccurate reports to the firm’s HR department showing she was in the office on 14 days when she was not and
2. booked and took eight days of holiday but cancelled those holidays on the firm’s absence reporting system giving the false impression that she had not taken that holiday.

This conduct was dishonest.

FINDING

Ms Ryan, 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 Ryan of Shorne, Kent 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 permission.