Alerts

Warning: Emails and invoices falsely claiming to be from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

17 June 2022

Emails have been sent falsely claiming to be from Dorothy Livingston of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP requesting payments of supposed invoices.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been notified that emails have been sent to businesses claiming to be from Dorothy Livingston of  Herbert Smith Freehills LLP requesting payments of supposed invoices.

The emails seen by the SRA advise the recipient that an invoice remains unpaid despite several reminders that have supposedly been sent.

The emails have been sent from the following email addresses: Dorothy.livingston@:

  • ‘herbertsmithfreehillslaw.com’
  • ‘herbertfreehillslaw.co.uk’
  • ‘herbertfreehillslaw.com’
  • ‘Herbertsmithlaw.com’
  • ‘herbertsmithfreehillsllp.com’
  • ‘herbertfreehillsllp.co.uk’
  • ‘herbert-freehillslegal.com’
  • ‘herbertsmith-freehills.co.uk’
  • ‘herbertsmith-freehills.com’
  • ‘herbert-smithfreehills.co.uk’
  • ‘herbert-smithlegal.com’
  • 'herbertsfreehills.com'

The SRA has also seen invoices which misuse the name and address of a genuine firm (see below) and includes the website for a separate genuine firm of solicitors (see below).

Any business or transaction through the email addresses listed above is not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Herbert Smith Freehills LLP. The genuine firm’s head office address is Exchange House, Primrose Street, London, EC2A 2EG.

The SRA also authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Dorothy Livingston who is a consultant at the genuine firm, and whose genuine email address is Dorothy․Livingston@hsf․com.

The SRA also authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, whose genuine website is www.nortonrosefulbright.com.

The genuine firm of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP has confirmed that neither it nor the genuine Dorothy Livingston have any genuine or intended connection to the emails referred to in the above alert.

The genuine firm of Norton Rose Fulbright LLP has confirmed that it has no connection to the invoices referred to in the above alert.

What should I do?

When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.