The Applicant appealed the Tribunal’s decision dated 18 June 2024 to impose no sanction for breaches of the MLRs and to dismiss the allegations. Mrs Justice Lang DBE upheld the appeal and remitted the matter: SRA Ltd v Dentons UK and Middle East LLP [2025] EWHC 535 (Admin). On the Respondent’s further appeal, the Court of Appeal (Bean V-P, Jeremy Baker and Zacaroli LJJ) held that Principle 7 is engaged only where the breach is sufficiently serious that competent and reputable solicitors would regard it as professional misconduct. The quashing was upheld on that narrower basis; the Tribunal’s findings of fact up to paragraph 9.377 are preserved, and a freshly constituted Panel of the SDT will determine the remitted matter. Dentons Uk and Middle East LLP V SRA Ltd [2026] EWCA Civ 508.

Dentons denied the allegations. The Tribunal found that Dentons had breached the MLRs, but that the breach did not amount to a breach of the Principles or the Code as alleged pursuant to allegations 1.2 and 1.3. The parties jointly submitted, and the Tribunal agreed that as a matter of law, it had no jurisdiction to impose a sanction where there was no breach of the Principles, Code or professional rules. The MLRs did not fall within those categories. Accordingly, whilst finding, as a matter of fact, that the Firm had breached the MLRs, the Tribunal had no jurisdiction to impose any sanction for those breaches. Mr Coleman KC submitted that given the position, the correct response would be to dismiss the matter, there being no finding of professional misconduct that engaged the Tribunal’s jurisdiction. The Tribunal agreed that this was the appropriate course. Accordingly, and notwithstanding its finding as regards allegation 1.1, the Tribunal dismissed the case.