Gareth Robert
Baker
Employee
659192
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Approval of employment (section 43)
Outcome date: 3 February 2020
Published date: 16 July 2020
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Steptoe & Johnson UK LLP
Address(es): 5 Aldermanbury Square, London EC2V 7HR
Firm ID: 635838
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Reasons/basis
ORDER FOR PUBLICATION
IN THE MATTER OF: Gareth Baker of South East London
A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor
THE FACTS
Between June 2017 and 16 April 2019, Mr Baker worked as a marketing manager for the recognised body, Steptoe & Johnson UK LLP. He was based at the firm’s London office. It was found that between 29 November 2018 and 20 February 2019, Mr Baker used the firm’s credit card to make personal cash withdrawals totalling £1,420. He misled the firm about the genuineness of these payments when asked about them.
It was found that Mr Baker’s conduct was dishonest and breached SRA Principles 2 and 6.
An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was made in relation to Mr Baker and he was ordered to pay the SRA's costs of £600 in investigating this matter.
FINDING
Mr Baker, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has occasioned or been a party to an act or default which involved such conduct on his part that it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.
ORDER
To make an order pursuant to section 43 that with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mr Baker of South East London of this decision:
- no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
- no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
- no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
- no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to have an interest in the body
except in accordance with a Society permission.