Sandra Rondeau
Employee
613556

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 10 November 2016

Published date: 29 November 2016

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: GH Cornish LLP

Address(es): First Floor, 34-36 High Street, Barkingide, Essex, IG6 2DQ

Firm ID: 509705

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

The facts

Mrs Sandra Rondeau who is not a solicitor was employed as a bookkeeper and later the Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration by C H Cornish LLP at its office at 34 – 36 High Street Barkingside IG6 2DQ between 23 January 2014 until 29 April 2015. Mrs Rondeau is not currently involved in legal practice.

In 2014/2015, Mrs Rondeau took the total sum of £62,977.16 from the firm’s office account and on one occasion from the firm's client account. The money was repaid to the firm. It was found that her conduct was dishonest and breached Principles 2 and 10 of the SRA Principles 2011 and Rule 7 of the SRA Accounts Rules 2011.

Mrs Rondeau was made subject to an order pursuant to section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974 and was given a written rebuke and financial penalty of £2,000. She was also order to pay costs of £600.

Finding

We find that Mrs Sandra Rondeau is or was involved in a legal practice (as defined by section 43 (1A) of the Solicitors Act 1974) but is not a solicitor and has occasioned or been a party to, with or without the connivance of a solicitor, an act or default in relation to a legal practice which involved conduct on her part of such a nature that in the opinion of the Society it would be undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways set out in the order below.

Order

To make a section 43 order that with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mrs Sandra Rondeau of this decision:

• (i) no solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
• (ii) no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the solicitor's practice;
• (iii) no recognised body shall employ or remunerate her;
• (iv) no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the business of that body;
• (v) no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to be a manager of the body; and
• (vi) 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 a Society permission.