Roland David Taylor
Solicitor
121302

Decision - Fined

Outcome: Fine

Outcome date: 10 April 2023

Published date: 8 October 2023

Firm details

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

Name: Roland Taylor & Co

Address(es): 21 West Drive, Wethersfield, Braintree CM7 4BT

Firm ID: 308100

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

The SRA imposed a financial penalty of £7,500 on Roland Taylor for:

1. making inappropriate, derogatory, puerile and inflammatory remarks in emails sent to another solicitor and
2. contacting a school attended by children of a defendant in possession proceedings, where he acted for the landlord.

Reasons/basis

It was found that:

1. Between 29 March 2021 and 30 November 2021 Mr Taylor made inappropriate, derogatory, puerile and inflammatory remarks in emails sent to another solicitor. In doing so, he breached Principle 2.
2. On 17 January 2022 Mr Taylor informed a defendant in possession proceedings that unless there were proposals for payment of arrears, he would contact the defendant’s children’s school. On 9 February 2022 Mr Taylor contacted the school about the possession proceedings. In doing so, Mr Taylor breached Principles 2 and 5. He also breached paragraph 1.2 of the Solicitors Code of Conduct.

Principle 2 of the SRA Principles 2011 requires Mr Taylor act in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons.

Principle 5 requires Mr Taylor to act with integrity.

Outcome 1.2 of the SRA Code of Conduct 2011 for Solicitors states Mr Taylor should not abuse his position by taking unfair advantage of clients or others.

Decision on sanction and costs

Mr Taylor was fined £7,500 and ordered to pay costs of £600.

This was because Mr Taylor’s conduct was serious by reference to the following factors in the SRA Enforcement Strategy:

1. His conduct had the potential to cause harm to others.
2. He is an experienced solicitor with direct responsibility for the conduct and with full control over his behaviour.
3. Mr Taylor was previously warned by the SRA on 30 October 2018 and rebuked on 1 February 2022 for similar conduct.
4. A public sanction was required to maintain standards and to acknowledge there had been a breach of regulatory requirements given the finding that he had breached Principles 2 and 5 of the SRA Principles 2011 and Outcome 1.2 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors.
5. A financial penalty will deter him, and others, from similar behaviour in the future.

Decision - Sanction

Outcome: Rebuke

Outcome date: 1 February 2022

Published date: 10 March 2022

Firm details

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

Name: Roland Taylor & Co

Address(es): 21 West Drive, Wethersfield, Braintree, Essex CM7 4BT

Firm ID: 308100

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Decision of Adjudicator:

• To rebuke Mr Taylor
• To publish the rebuke
• Mr Taylor is ordered to pay the sum of £600 in relation to the SRA’s cost of investigating the matter.

Reasons/basis

In March and April 2020 Mr Taylor made offensive and inappropriate remarks about staff members at another law firm, both verbally and in writing.

In doing so Mr Taylor breached Principle 2 of the SRA Principles 2019.