Asolicitor who lied to her client to buy herself more time has accepted she should be struck off the roll. Laura Simpson, who worked for national firm Switalskis, admitted she ‘chickened out’ of telling the client the truth when presented with an expert’s report which undermined the case.

Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal sign

Source: Michael Cross

Instead she told the client the report had not yet been received, but the true picture emerged when the client spoke to Simpson’s secretary who said the report was sent weeks before.

The client complained to the firm which referred the matter to the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The case proceeded to a one-day hearing before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal last month, where Simpson admitted dishonesty and accepted she should no longer be allowed to work in the profession.

The tribunal heard that Simpson, admitted in 2009, had been handling the claim for around a year when she was sent an expert’s report in June 2023, assessing that there was unlikely to be a case.