Holiday Sickness Solicitor Suspended for Sending Claims Without Client Knowledge
John William Duncombe of Opes Law (Manchester) was suspended by the SDT for issuing claim letters to tour operators without clients’ knowledge or instructions, based on minimal information from claims management introducers. He also concealed 50% fee-sharing arrangements with the CMCs feeding him cases. Sources Legal Futures: Solicitor suspended for holiday sickness retainer failures
Leigh Day Cleared of All Charges After Longest SDT Hearing in History — SRA Pays £1m in Costs
Leigh Day and three solicitors faced 19 charges over Iraqi civilian claims linked to the £31m Al-Sweady Public Inquiry. After a seven-week hearing — the longest and most expensive SDT case ever — the firm was cleared of all charges. The SRA’s High Court appeal was dismissed. The SRA spent £3.1 million and was ordered to pay Leigh Day approximately £995,000 in costs. The firm spent roughly £7 million on its defence. Sources Legal Cheek: Iraq torture case: Leigh Day cleared of ALL misconduct Law Gazette: Leigh Day in the clear as High Court throws out SRA appeal Legal Futures: SRA pays Leigh Day £1m in costs
Phil Shiner Struck Off — SDT Finds 22 Charges of Misconduct Including Dishonesty
The SDT found Phil Shiner (Public Interest Lawyers, Birmingham) guilty of 22 charges of professional misconduct. Charges included dishonesty, lack of integrity, authorising cold-calling of Iraqi clients, and paying prohibited referral fees exceeding £25,000. PIL had handled approximately 3,392 Iraq abuse allegations and received roughly £3 million in legal aid. The firm closed in August 2016 and Shiner was declared bankrupt in March 2017. Sources Legal Futures: Profession under fire after Shiner is struck off Wikipedia: Phil Shiner
SDT Dismisses All Charges Against Barings Law — SRA Ordered to Pay Costs
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal dismissed all allegations against Craig Cooper (managing director) and Erich Kurtz (former partner) of Barings Law over their handling of volume payday lender mis-selling claims. The SRA alleged the firm had misled clients and sent claims on behalf of “fictional clients.” The SDT ordered the SRA to pay £30,000 in costs, criticising the regulator for relying on “prejudicial hearsay evidence” from lenders who had been sued by the solicitors. Sources Law Gazette: Director blasts 'egregious waste of money' after failed SRA case Legal Futures: Tribunal clears solicitors over volume litigation misconduct
