The Respondent was authorised by the Applicant as a Registered Foreign Lawyer on 20 February 2017. At the relevant time, the Respondent was a partner at Jones Day LLP specialising in private equity.

The Respondent acted from 2018 for Client A, an online grocery business founded by Person A, who had previously founded O (a company). He advised Client A and Person A in relation to proposed commercial arrangements with Marks & Spencer, which did not proceed, and later in connection with Client A’s agreement with Waitrose.

During this period, Person A recruited Person C, then a senior employee of O, to join Client A as Chief Operating Officer. After Person C resigned from O and was placed on gardening leave, O suspected that confidential information had been disclosed to Client A. O subsequently obtained a Search Order against Person C, Client A and Person A.

The Respondent’s conduct in relation to the execution of that Search Order later gave rise to proceedings against him, resulting in a judgment dated 3 August 2022 finding him in Contempt of Court.

Following an SRA investigation, an allegation was brought against the Respondent citing breaches of Principles 1, 2 and 6 of the SRA Principles 2011 and Outcome 5.4 of the SRA Code of Conduct 2011.

The allegation was admitted by the Respondent and the Tribunal ordered that the Respondent be Suspended from practice as a Registered Foreign Lawyer for a period of 2 years commencing on 23 March 2026 and it further Ordered that he do pay the costs of and incidental to this application and enquiry fixed in the sum of £20,000.00.