Paula
Gray
Employee
7267197
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)
Outcome date: 27 March 2025
Published date: 1 April 2025
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Davis Simmonds & Donaghey
Address(es): 5 High Street, Gillingham, ME7 1BE
Firm ID: 266782
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Reasons/basis
Summary of decision
The SRA has put restrictions on where and how Ms Gray can work in an SRA regulated firm. It was found that:
Ms Gray, 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 her to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.
The facts of the case
On 22 August 2024, Ms Gray was convicted of an offence of theft from her former employer, Davis Simmons & Donaghey, whilst working as the firm's Head of Accounts. The circumstances of the offence were that on two occasions Ms Gray transferred sums totalling £1370.40 from the firm's office account to her own.
Decision on outcome
An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Ms Gray's conduct meant that it was undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA's prior approval. The order pursuant to section 43 was made with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Ms Gray of this decision.
Ms Gray's conduct was serious because it involved her acting dishonestly, which was an abuse of her position of trust at the firm.
Ms Gray was also ordered to pay the SRA's costs of £600.
What our Section 43 order means
- no solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
- no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the solicitor's practice;
- no recognised body shall employ or remunerate her;
- no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the business of that body;
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to be a manager of the body; and Page 8 of 8 Solicitors Regulation Authority Limited
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to have an interest in the body except in accordance with the SRA's prior written permission.