Caroline Louise Clayton-Ridley

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 29 September 2022

Published date: 15 November 2022

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Cartmell Shepherd Limited

Address(es): Viaduct House, Carlisle, CA3 8EZ England

Firm ID: 618960

Firm or organisation at date of publication

Name: Lambert Taylor & Gregory Solicitors

Address(es): 9 Walker Terrace, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE8 1EB England

Firm ID: 53560

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

IN THE MATTER OF: Caroline Clayton-Ridley of Prudhoe, Northumberland

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

THE FACTS

Between 14 January 2019 and 21 October 2019 Ms Clayton-Ridley backdated a declaration of trust and mortgage deed. She failed to deal with HMLR requisitions promptly, LMS emails promptly, and failed to put in place an OS2 priority search putting the lender’s charge at risk. She failed to adequately advise her clients to take independent legal advice regarding the declaration of trust and the signing of the mortgage deed.

It was found that Ms Clayton-Ridley’s conduct was dishonest.

Ms Clayton-Ridley was ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £1,350 in investigating this matter.

FINDING

Ms Clayton-Ridley, who is not a solicitor, is or 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 from 28 days from the date of the letter or email notifying Ms Clayton-Ridley 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 prior written permission.