Kimberley
Clift
Solicitor
593128
Decision - Prosecution
Outcome: Referral to Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal
Outcome date: 28 July 2025
Published date: 5 February 2026
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Lawrence Stephens Limited
Address(es): 50 Farringdon Road, London, EC1M 3HE
Firm ID: 806802
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Reasons/basis
This notification relates to a Decision to prosecute before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. This is an independent Tribunal which will reach its own decision after considering all the evidence, including any evidence put forward by the Solicitor. The Tribunal has certified that there is a case to answer in respect of allegations which are or include that, while in practice as a Solicitor at Lawrence Stephens Limited:-
- Between 10 February 2023 and 11 December 2023, Ms Clift misled Client A into believing that he and Client B were entitled to an SDLT refund when she did not know if they were.
- Between 10 February 2023 and 11 December 2023, Ms Clift told Client A that she was progressing an SDLT refund due to him and Client B when she was not.
- On or around 28 November 2023, Ms Clift sent a fabricated screenshot to Client A via WhatsApp to make it appear that the accounts department of the Firm had emailed her about Client A’s SDLT refund when they had not.
The allegations are subject to a Hearing before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and are as yet unproven.
Decision - Control of practice
Outcome: Condition
Outcome date: 2 January 2026
Published date: 8 January 2026
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Lawrence Stephens Limited
Address(es): 50 Farringdon Road London EC1M 3HE England
Firm ID: 806802
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Kimberley Clift's practising certificate for 2025/ 2026 is subject to the following conditions:
- Miss Clift may not act as a manager or owner of any authorised body.
- Miss Clift may act as a solicitor only as an employee and only where the employment has first been approved by the SRA.
- Miss Clift is not to act as a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) or a compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA) for any authorised body.
- Miss Clift may not practise on her own account under regulation 10.2(a) or (b) of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations.
In these conditions the terms are as defined in the SRA Glossary
Reasons/basis
The above conditions are made under rule 3.2 of the SRA Regulatory and Disciplinary Procedure Rules, which states that at any stage an authorised decision maker may, pending a final decision by the SRA or the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, impose interim conditions on the practising certificate of a solicitor. We are satisfied that these conditions are necessary in the public interest or for the protection of the public.
Decision - Control of practice
Outcome: Condition
Outcome date: 20 August 2025
Published date: 28 August 2025
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Lawrence Stephens Limited
Address(es): 50 Farringdon Road, London
Firm ID: 806802
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Ms Clift's practising certificate for 2024/2025 is subject to the following conditions:
- Ms Clift may not act as a manager or owner of any authorised body.
- Ms Clift may act as a solicitor only as an employee and only where the employment has first been approved by the SRA.
- Ms Clift is not to act as a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) or a compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA) for any authorised body.
- Ms Clift may not practise on her own account under regulation 10.2(a) or (b) of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations.
In these conditions the terms are as defined in the SRA Glossary.
Reasons/basis
The above interim conditions are made under rule 3.2 of the SRA Regulatory and Disciplinary Procedure Rules, which states that at any stage an authorised decision maker may, pending a final decision by the SRA or the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, impose interim conditions on the practising certificate of a solicitor, the registration of a REL or RFL or the authorisation of a body. We are satisfied that these conditions are necessary in the public interest or for the protection of the public.