Ex-rookie sanctioned over email to IT
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has banned a former Travers Smith trainee from working for a law firm without its permission, citing dishonesty during his training contract.
Robert David Bradley Fitzgerald-Crisp was employed as a trainee solicitor by the City outfit between 4 September 2017 and 2 September 2019, but appears not to have qualified. The SRA says that he is “not a solicitor” and sanctioned him using its powers over non-lawyers.
Fitzgerald-Crisp’s offence was that he “took steps to mislead his colleagues regarding an email he sent to his employer’s IT department”. The SRA added that he tried to “mislead his colleagues regarding his role in authorising access by a third party to one of the firm’s extranet”.
While it’s not clear from the SRA’s statement exactly what went down, the regulator found that Fitzgerald-Crisp had been “dishonest” — a killer blow when it comes to disciplinary cases like this. Earlier this year, a junior solicitor was struck off for lying briefly about a missing work briefcase.
Fitzgerald-Crisp was handed a section 43 order, meaning that he can’t work for any firm of solicitors without the SRA’s say-so. He isn’t working for an SRA-regulated firm anyway, but has been ordered to stump up £600 in costs.
Travers Smith declined to comment. Fitzgerald-Crisp has been approached for comment.
