John Mark Abbott
Recognised sole practitioner
624982

Decision - Sanction

Outcome: Rebuke

Outcome date: 3 June 2026

Published date: 7 July 2026

Firm details

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

Name: Mark Abbott Solicitors

Address(es): 18A Allerton Road, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, L18 1LN

Firm ID: 624982

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Who does this disciplinary decision relate to?

John Mark Abbott is a solicitor and sole practitioner of Mark Abbott Solicitors (the firm), a recognised sole practice. The firm is based at 18A Allerton Road, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, L18 1LN.

Short summary of decision

We have issued Mr Abbott with a rebuke for his failure to cooperate with the Legal Ombudsman's investigation of a client's complaint against the firm, and a failure to provide information requested by the SRA.

Facts of the misconduct

Mr Abbott did not respond to a Legal Ombudsman request for documents and information between 29 May 2025 and 25 July 2025. Due to his failure to cooperate, the Legal Ombudsman referred the matter to the SRA on 29 July 2025. Between 28 August 2025 and 25 November 2025, the SRA contacted Mr Abbott on multiple occasions. The SRA requested an explanation for his failure to engage with the Legal Ombudsman and asked for documents and information. Mr Abbott did not provide the information or explanation requested. Mr Abbott has not provided a substantive explanation for his failure to cooperate with the Legal Ombudsman or the SRA.

It was found that:

• On five occasions between 29 May 2025 and 25 July 2025, Mr Abbott failed to cooperate with an investigation by the Legal Ombudsman. In doing so he breached paragraph 7.3 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs 2019.
• On nine occasions between 28 August 2025 and 25 November 2025, Mr Abbott failed to cooperate with an investigation by the SRA and failed to respond promptly and substantively to its requests. In doing so he breached paragraphs 7.3 and 7.4 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs 2019.
• Mr Abbott failed to provide a substantive explanation for his failure to cooperate with the Legal Ombudsman and the SRA, despite being given multiple opportunities to do so. In doing so he breached paragraphs 7.3 and 7.4 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs 2019.

Reasons/basis

Decision on sanction

It was decided that a rebuke was an appropriate and proportionate sanction.

Mr Abbott was issued with a written rebuke and ordered to pay costs of £600.

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

• Mr Abbott is an experienced solicitor and sole practitioner. He held direct responsibility for his own conduct and regulatory compliance. He failed to cooperate with both the Legal Ombudsman and the SRA over a sustained period, despite repeated requests and warnings.
• The misconduct was repeated and persisted over several months, demonstrating a pattern of non-compliance. His failure to respond prevented and delayed regulatory and ombudsman investigations into a client complaint.
• Mr Abbott has shown no meaningful insight into the impropriety of his conduct and has not provided a substantive explanation.
• Some public sanction is required to uphold public confidence and maintain professional standards.
• A more serious sanction was not considered to be proportionate by reference to the following factors in the Enforcement Strategy:
• There is no evidence of lasting significant harm to the client who made the initial complaint or other third parties.
• There is no evidence that Mr Abbott’s conduct was pre-planned or that it involved financial gain.
• The misconduct relates to failures to cooperate rather than underlying client dishonesty.
• The conduct, while persistent, is capable of being marked appropriately by a rebuke as a sanction of moderate seriousness.

SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs 2019 breached

Paragraph 7.3: You cooperate with the SRA, other regulators, ombudsmen, and those bodies with a role overseeing and supervising the delivery of, or investigating concerns in relation to, legal services.

Paragraph 7.4: You respond promptly to the SRA and: (a) provide full and accurate explanations, information and documentation in response to any request or requirements.