Need help - SRA register

[Internationalvelvets]

Hi, for those legally minded. I'm in the process of litigation. I'm involved with a very difficult firm of solicitors representing the defendants.

They've been very unprofessional, to say the least. I've checked the SRA list and the primary solicitor no longer has an SRA. He doesn't have a barrister's number either. He's a partner but advertised as a solicitor and is supervising a junior solicitor working on my case.

AIBU for thinking this is odd? I've found his old SRA number but it's not recognised on the SRA website and I can't find him on the SRA website.

Is this normal?

Could it be that the person has changed their name? Solicitors are all on the SRA register if practising. Only qualified solicitors with a practising certificate can conduct litigation. “Legally qualified” people who aren’t qualified solicitors with a practising certificate (ie paralegals) cannot conduct litigation.

If the person is conducting litigation without a practising certificate, that’s embarrassing for them and their firm but it isn’t really going to change anything for you in the litigation itself. You can complain to the firm (I would do this first before going to the SRA, in case you are wrong) but they will (if you’re right) simply put a different lawyer on the case.

I have searched everywhere for this person's SRA number. I found it on the Law Society search pages but when I copied and pasted it into the SRA search page, the number was not found.
I also can't find anyone of that name (even first name) at the firm. Frankly, having a new solicitor assigned would be a good thing for me as this one has been dreadful.

I agree it would be embarrassing for them but it would just add more weight (IMO) to the very lengthy complaint I have against them.

The same firm have a history of awarding compensation through the ombudsman due to their numerous issues. Their review on Trust Pilot is less than 1.5.

Without knowing the full facts, surely it’s a good thing if the other side have really poor representation? I’d concentrate on winning the case rather than getting one over their reps (whilst accepting you have the right to raise these issues).

It is a good thing in a way if they have poor representation but it's also rather complicated and has been going on for a long time. I'm trying to build my complaint against them to hopefully get them to move on as they will ignore my solicitor for months on end and then threaten retaliation if I take things further. I wish I could say more but it would be potentially revealing and given their recent tactics, it's not something I want to risk.

Hi @Internationalvelvets . I’m a solicitor, holding yourself out as a solicitor when not being qualified to do so is a serious offence, but one an be a partner but not a solicitor. Are you sure that is not the case here?

Do you have representation? I presume not as you wouldn’t be thinking about this. Is there a reasons. If you have evidence he has said he is a solicitor (not a lawyer as anyone can call these
ves lawyer) then by all means report to the SRA and LeO, but neither move fast enough for make a difference to your experience now. Compensation would also be for the client, so as the other side you’re unlikely to be eligible, but if you feel strongly and don’t mind the additional stress no harm in trying.
I would also raise a complaint to the managing partner and to the court if you can demonstrate is conduct is unpressed and agressive, but tbf litigation is not for the sensitive.

He's on their website as a solicitor. I do have representation but due to the defendant's solicitors being so slow there's very little they can do as this is not a case that can end up in court. The other side are dragging out and are "acting unreasonably" according to my solicitor. I'm just hoping to find out so I can add it to my complaint. I've checked the SRA, the barrister's register and the Law Society. The Law Society has his name, office address and SRA number but when I use the SRA number on the SRA website, it simply states that it "does not exist".

Can a solicitor have more than one SRA number?

This might be a silly question but are you searching properly? I am a solicitor. If I look myself up on the SRA website, it comes up with my record and shows my SRA number. To find myself on The Law Society website, I have to go to the Advanced Search tab (as opposed to Quick Search) and then select the “Person” (as opposed to “Organisation”) option before entering my name and hitting Search. If left on “Organisation”, obviously it returns no results for my name. When searching correctly for myself as a Person, it produces a record showing my name, date of qualification and current firm, but not my SRA number. I can however also use my SRA number instead of my name to search on The Law Society website and that also produces the same record for me.

Have you actually searched by their name?

This might be a good shout, the search function on the sra and law society websites are both a bit rubbish.

@Internationalvelvets if you want to pm the name I will try for you.

I have, I also called the SRA. They are SRA regulated but they are not and never have been legally qualified as a solicitor or lawyer. My solicitor is now handling it.

If he's listed on the website as an actual solicitor that's potentially dodgy. But if he's just a 'supervisor' in the sense of a line manager (dealing with complaints about the actual solicitor etc), then it's not dodgy. Non-solicitors can be partners in a firm, especially if it's an ABS setup (which can be SRA regulated).

But I don't really know why you're even bothering trying to expose this. The most you'll do is give your opponent an arguable case for a full refund of their fees (Pearless de Rougement v Pilbrow) and you're doing a lot of digging that would ultimately benefit them, not you.