Between
| Applicant | Solicitors Regulation Authority Ltd |
|---|---|
| Respondent | Andrew Brian Alexander Cooper |
Case details
| Allegation | Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019 |
|---|---|
| Outcome | Strike off |
| Executive summary | The alleged misconduct occurred between 16 August 2019 and 27 June 2022. This case concerned allegations of professional misconduct brought by the Applicant against Mr Cooper who was admitted to the Roll in December 2007. At the time of the alleged misconduct, Mr Cooper was a Partner at the Firm where he specialised in probate work. Mr Cooper was dismissed by the Firm on 2 November 2022. He does not hold a practising certificate. The first Allegation was that between 16 August 2019 and 20 September 2022 Mr Cooper caused or allowed payments to be made from the Firm’s client account in circumstances when he did not have his clients’ instructions to do so. This led to a cash shortage of up to £1,174,493.62. The second Allegation was that on or about 27 June 2022 Mr Cooper inserted an electronic signature onto a letter to HMRC on behalf of Person A without their knowledge or consent and caused this to be sent to HMRC purporting to demonstrate that the letter had been signed by Person A. The Rule 12 Statement was dated 25 February 2025. The Tribunal issued Standard Directions on 27 February 2025. Pursuant to Standard Directions 2 and 5 Mr Cooper was required to file and serve his Answer and all documents he intended to rely on at the Substantive Hearing by Thursday 24 April 2025. He did not do so. A Case Management Hearing was listed on 19 May 2025. Mr Cooper did not attend and was not represented. In the absence of Mr Cooper engaging with the proceedings or attending the Substantive Hearing, the Tribunal proceeded to hear the case in his absence. All of the Allegations were found proved to the requisite standard. The Tribunal found on the balance of probabilities that Mr Cooper’s conduct breached multiple Principles under both the 2011 and 2019 SRA Principles including acting without integrity, failing to maintain public trust and acting dishonestly. The Tribunal applied the test for dishonesty as set out in Ivey v Genting Casinos (UK) Ltd t/a Crockfords [2017] UKSC 67 and concluded that the Respondent’s conduct was dishonest by the standards of ordinary decent people. Mr Cooper was struck off the Roll of Solicitors and ordered to pay costs in the sum of £29,451.29. |