Philip
Browell
Solicitor
123788
Decision - Control of practice
Outcome: Condition
Outcome date: 1 March 2024
Published date: 2 April 2024
Firm details
Firm or organisation at date of publication and at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Browell Smith & Co Solicitors Ltd
Address(es): Unit 42-44, Apex Business Village, Annitsford, CRAMLINGTON, NE23 7BF.
Firm ID: 545141
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Philip Browell's practising certificate for 2023/2024 is subject to the following conditions:
- Philip Browell is not the sole English or Welsh lawyer manager of any authorised body, authorised non-SRA firm or legal services body.
- Philip Browell may not act as a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) or compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA) for any SRA authorised body, or Head of Legal Practice (HOLP) or Head of Finance and Administration (HOFA) in any authorised non-SRA firm.
- Philip Browell may not act as a sole signatory to any client or office account, or have the power to solely authorise transfers from any client or office account.
- Philip Browell may not practise under regulation 10.2(a) or 10.2(b) of the SRA Authorisation of Individual Regulations.
In these conditions the terms are as defined in the SRA Glossary.
Reasons/basis
The above conditions are necessary in the public interest. They are reasonable and proportionate having regard to the purposes set out in regulation 7 of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations, and the regulatory objectives and principles governing regulatory activities as contained in section 28 of the Legal Services Act 2007.
Decision - Control of practice
Outcome: Condition
Outcome date: 10 February 2023
Published date: 20 March 2023
Firm details
Firm or organisation at date of publication and at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Browell Smith & Co Solicitors Ltd
Address(es): Unit 42-44, Apex Business Village, Annitsford, CRAMLINGTON, NE23 7BF, England
Firm ID: 545141
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Philip Browell’s practising certificate for 2022/2023 is subject to the following conditions:
- Mr Browell is not the sole English or Welsh lawyer manager of any authorised body, authorised non-SRA firm or legal services body.
- Mr Browell may not act as a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) or compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA) for any SRA authorised body, or Head of Legal Practice (HOLP) or Head of Finance and Administration (HOFA) in any authorised non-SRA firm.
- Mr Browell may not act as a sole signatory to any client or office account, or have the power to solely authorise transfers from any client or office account.
- Mr Browell may not practise under regulation 10.2(a) or 10.2(b) of the SRA Authorisation of Individual Regulations.
In these conditions the terms are as defined in the SRA Glossary.
Reasons/basis
The above conditions are necessary in the public interest. They are reasonable and proportionate having regard to the purposes set out in regulation 7 of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations, and the regulatory objectives and principles governing regulatory activities as contained in section 28 of the Legal Services Act 2007.
Decision - Control of practice
Outcome: Condition
Outcome date: 5 April 2022
Published date: 5 May 2022
Firm details
Firm or organisation at date of publication and at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Browell Smith & Co Solicitors Ltd
Address(es): Unit 42-44, Apex Business Village, Annitsford, Cramlington, NE23 7BF
Firm ID: 545141
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Philip Browell’s practising certificate for 2021/2022 has been granted subject to the following conditions:
- Mr Browell is not the sole English or Welsh lawyer manager of any authorised body, authorised non-SRA firm or legal services body.
- Mr Browell may not act as a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) or compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA) for any SRA authorised body, or head of legal practice (HOLP) or head of finance and administration (HOFA) in any authorised non-SRA firm.
- Mr Browell may not act as a sole signatory to any client or office account, or have the power to solely authorise transfers from any client or office account.
- Mr Browell may not practice under regulation 10.2(a) or 10.2(b) of the SRA Authorisation of Individual Regulations.
In these conditions the terms are as defined in the SRA Glossary.
Reasons/basis
The above conditions are necessary in the public interest and reasonable and proportionate having regard to the purposes set out in Regulation 7 of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations and the regulatory objectives and principles governing regulatory activities as contained in section 28 of the Legal Services Act 2007.
Decision - Prosecution
Outcome: Referral to Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal
Outcome date: 7 October 2020
Published date: 3 December 2021
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Browell Smith & Co Solicitors Ltd
Address(es): Unit 42-44 Apex Business Village, Annitsford, Cramlington NE23 7BF
Firm ID: 545141
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Reasons/basis
Outcome of SDT Hearing
This notification relates to a Decision to prosecute before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. This is an independent Tribunal which reaches its own decision after considering all the evidence, including any evidence put forward by the Respondent. The Tribunal had certified that there was a case to answer.
On 20 January 2022 the SDT considered and approved an Agreed Outcome.
Mr. Browell was fined £20,000. In addition, he shall be subject to conditions imposed by the Tribunal as follows:
The Respondent may not:
- practise as a sole practitioner or be the sole authorised person that is a manager of an authorised or recognised body’
- be a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) or Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) for any SRA authorised body, or Head of Legal Practice (HOLP) or Head of Finance and Administration (HOFA) in any authorised non-SRA firm
- act as a sole signatory to any client or office account, or have the power to solely authorise transfers from any client or office account.
- practise under regulation 10.2(a) or 10.2(b) of the SRA Authorisation of Individual Regulations.
- There be liberty to either party to apply to the Tribunal to vary the conditions set out above
The SDT judgment will be available at www.solicitorstribunal.org.uk.