Olivia
Philp
Employee
643256
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)
Outcome date: 1 April 2019
Published date: 1 May 2019
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Hennessy & Hammudi Limited
Address(es): 44 Queens Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 4AU
Firm ID: 562181
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Section 43 Order
Reasons/basis
IN THE MATTER OF Miss Olivia Philp
A person who is or was involved in legal practice but is not a solicitor
SECTION 43 SOLICITORS ACT 1974 (AS AMENDED)
The Facts:
Miss Olivia Philp is a trainee solicitor at Hennessy & Hammudi Limited of 44 Queens Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 4AU. The firm suspended her employment in May 2018.
On 6 February 2018, she represented a client of the firm at a police station interview. She continued to represent this client until 20 March 2018.
It was found that Miss Philp provided inaccurate and inconsistent explanations to both the firm and the SRA, as to the nature and extent of her relationship with this client, during their investigation into this matter. In doing so, it was found that she acted with a lack of integrity.
It was also found that Miss Philp represented clients of the firm at a police station interview when she had an own interest conflict.
FINDING
Miss Philp 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 an order pursuant to Section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974 that with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Miss Philp of this decision:
- no solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
- no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the solicitor's practice;
- no recognised body shall employ or remunerate her;
- no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the business of that body;
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to be a manager of the body; and
- 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.