Charlotte Treves
Employee
7269738

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)

Outcome date: 6 February 2025

Published date: 28 February 2025

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Stowe Family Law LLP

Address(es): Yorkshire House, Greek Street, Leeds, LS1 5SH

Firm ID: 469401

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

1.1 Charlotte Treves, a former employee of Stowe Family Law LLP (the Firm), agrees to the following outcome to the investigation of her conduct by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA):

(a) to the SRA making an order under section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974 (a section 43 order) in relation to Charlotte Treves that, from the date of this agreement:

(i) no solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with their practice as a solicitor

(ii) no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the solicitor's practice

(iii) no recognised body shall employ or remunerate her

(iv) no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the business of that body

(v) no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to be a manager of the body

(vi) no recognised body or manager or employee of such body shall permit her to have an interest in the body except in accordance with the SRA's prior permission (b) to the publication of this agreement

(c) she will pay the costs of the investigation of £300.

Reasons/basis

2. Summary of facts

2.1 Charlotte Treves was employed in the Firm's St. Albans Office as a fee earner, working under the direct supervision of a solicitor.

2.2 Following a review of Miss Treves' files the Firm found that between November 2023 and January 2024 in respect of seven separate matters Miss Treves has misled clients and another law firm and sought to conceal her actions:

1. On four separate matters, Miss Treves chased the clients on correspondence she claimed to have sent to them previously. The evidence shows that the correspondence was sent at a later date and Miss Treves sought to cover her actions by forwarding the emails to herself and then amending the date before sending it on to the client.
2. On a separate matter, Miss Treves chased another law firm in respect of an email she claimed to have sent on 10 December 2023. The evidence shows that, on 10 January 2024 Miss Treves had forwarded the email to herself and then amended the date.
3. Miss Treves recorded time on a matter on 24 November 2023 for drafting a letter and later misled the client by telling them that the letter was previously sent to them. There is no evidence on the Firm's systems to show that the letter had been sent before 8 December 2023.
4. On another matter the client has been charged by Miss Treves for work she had not carried out.

2.3 The Firm's findings were put to Miss Treves on 31 January 2024 who admitted the conduct in respect of six of the seven instances identified following the Firm's review. The six instances are summarised in (a) to (d) above except for one of the four matters set out at paragraph (a).

2.4 Miss Treves resigned from the firm on 9 February 2024.

3. Admissions

3.1 Charlotte Treves makes the following admissions which the SRA accepts:

1. that she provided misleading information to clients and another law firm on six separate client matters
2. that she actively sought to conceal her actions
3. that her actions had or had the potential to have a detrimental impact on the clients
4. that misleading clients and another law firm involved conduct which means that it is undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice
5. that her conduct set out above was dishonest.

4. Why a section 43 order is appropriate

4.1 The SRA's Enforcement Strategy and its guidance on how it regulates non-authorised persons, sets out its approach to using section 43 orders to control where a non-authorised person can work.

4.2 When considering whether a section 43 order is appropriate in this matter, the SRA has taken into account the admissions made by Charlotte Treves and the following mitigation which she has put forward:

1. Miss Treves was dealing with significant personal challenges at the time.
2. Miss Treves has admitted the conduct, expressed deep remorse for her actions and has fully co-operated with the SRA investigation.
3. Miss Treves became overwhelmed with work at the time but accepts that she should have sought help sooner.

4.3 The SRA and Charlotte Treves agree that a section 43 order is appropriate because:

1. Charlotte Treves is not a solicitor
2. by undertaking work in the name of, or under the direction and supervision of, a solicitor, Charlotte Treves was involved in a legal practice
3. by providing misleading information to clients and another law firm and seeking to conceal her actions Charlotte Treves has occasioned or been party to an act or default in relation to a legal practice. Charlotte Treves' conduct in relation to that act or default makes it undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice.

4.4 Charlotte Treves' conduct makes it undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice because it demonstrates that under pressure, albeit with significant mitigation from her personal circumstances, she was willing to mislead clients and create misleading correspondence to conceal her actions. A person willing to do this is not suitable to work in legal practise. If such conduct were to be repeated in future, it would pose a risk to clients and public trust.

5. Publication

5.1 The SRA considers it appropriate that this agreement is published in the interests of transparency in the regulatory process. Charlotte Treves agrees to the publication of this agreement. A person willing to do this is not suitable to work in legal practise. If such conduct were to be repeated in future, it would pose a risk to clients and public trust.

6. Acting in a way which is inconsistent with this agreement

6.1 Charlotte Treves agrees that she will not deny the admissions made in this agreement or act in any way which is inconsistent with it.

7. Costs

7.1 Charlotte Treves agrees to pay the costs of the SRA's investigation in the sum of £300. Such costs are due within 28 days of a statement of costs due being issued by the SRA.