A non-practising solicitor who pocketed more than £4,500 to work on a criminal case has been struck off the roll.
Gavin Clarke, who was admitted in August 2003, acted for six months in 2022 without authorisation as he did not hold a practising certificate.
Having not engaged with disciplinary proceedings brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, he unexpectedly turned up at his tribunal hearing last month and explained how he had been experiencing significant personal and professional difficulties at the time. He was struggling with the demands of his workload which became exacerbated by the lockdown in 2020, and these issues contributed to impaired judgement and decision-making.
UKruled there were no exceptional circumstances and that his misconduct amounted to a sustained course of dishonest behaviour.
The ruling added: ‘He misrepresented his professional status, received money for work he was not entitled to carry out, and then failed to return those funds despite repeated promises to do so.’
