Kathryn Lisa Carvell

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 2 November 2023

Published date: 4 January 2024

Firm details

Firm or organisation at date of publication and at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Brindley Twist Tafft & James

Address(es): Lowick Gate, Siskin Drive, COVENTRY, CV3 4FJ

Firm ID: 557410

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Who does this decision relate to?

Kathryn Lisa Carvell whose last known address was in Coventry, West Midland.

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

Summary of decision

The SRA has put restrictions on where and how Ms Carvell can work in an SRA regulated firm. It was found that:

Ms Carvell, 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.

The facts of the case

Ms Carvell was employed as a conveyancing secretary at Brindley Twist Tafft & James (the firm) whose head office is at Lowick Gate, Siskin Drive, Coventry, CV3 4FJ.

On 18 January 2023, Ms Carvell sent a letter and property deeds to a client in the post. On or around 19 January 2023, the firm asked Ms Carvell if she knew anything about the letter the client had received. Ms Carvell denied any knowledge of the letter, despite having sent it only days prior.

It was found that on or around 19 January 2023, Ms Carvell made a misleading statement to her employer about a client file. In doing so, she acted dishonestly.

Decision on outcome

An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Ms Carvell’s conduct meant that it was undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA’s prior approval.

This was because of the serious nature of her conduct, which was dishonest.

Ms Carvell was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA’s costs of £600.

What our Section 43 order means

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