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On 24 May 2018, a newly qualified solicitor called Claire Matthews was on the train home from the office with a briefcase containing confidential documents. She accidentally left the case on the train and it was never seen again. Thread (1/7)
Matthews lied to her boss about losing the case, saying she had left it at home, before coming clean 24 hours later. As a result of that dishonesty, a disciplinary tribunal banned her from working as a solicitor in future. (2/7)
On top of that, Matthews - who by then had a temp job at a call centre earning £9 an hour - was handed a £10k bill for the regulator's costs in bringing the disciplinary case. See my report below for @legalcheek https://www.legalcheek.com/2020/04/newly-qualified-solicitor-struck-off-over-lost-work-briefcase/ (3/7)
The case aroused a lot of sympathy, even in the hardened Legal Cheek comments section. (4/7)
The penalty appears harsh compared with other cases of lawyers behaving badly. In another one I reported on just days before, a barrister who headbutted a female colleague was not banned for life, but suspended for three months. https://www.legalcheek.com/2020/04/drunk-deputy-head-of-chambers-headbutted-junior-female-colleague-outside-calvin-klein-underwear-store/ (5/7)
Now, @JohnHyde1982 reports that lawyers are queueing up to help Matthews appeal, pro bono. They are particularly concerned that she wasn't represented at the disciplinary tribunal. (6/7)
But to help her, they need to find her. Time is running out for an appeal to be lodged. So if you know the Claire Louise Matthews who used to work at Capsticks, do send her this link. https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/lawyers-make-pro-bono-appeal-offer-to-struck-off-briefcase-junior/5103867.article#.Xpb-vGuJXIc.twitter (7/7)
