Laurence
Ives
Employee
806986
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)
Outcome date: 20 August 2021
Published date: 29 September 2021
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Plexus Legal LLP
Address(es): Josephs Well, Hanover Walk, Leeds, LS3 1AB
Firm ID: 638317
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Mr Ives was issued with a section 43 order by the Adjudicator and ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600 in investigating this matter.
Reasons/basis
ORDER FOR PUBLICATION
IN THE MATTER OF: Laurence Ives of Leigh, Essex
A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor
THE FACTS
Mr Ives was employed as head of business development at Plexus Law LLP (the firm) whose head office is at Josephs Well, Hanover Walk, Leeds, LS3 1AB. The firm is a licensed body.
On 17 April 2020, Mr Ives pleaded guilty to 16 sexual offences involving children at Basildon Crown Court. On 15 July 2020, he was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment, was placed indefinitely on the Sex Offenders Register and made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The firm dismissed Mr Ives immediately upon being informed of his conviction and sentence.
FINDING
Laurence Ives, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has been convicted of a criminal offence which is such 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:
- 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 the SRA’s permission.
Mr Ives was also ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600 in investigating this matter.