Terence
Lock
Employee
7268125
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)
Outcome date: 28 March 2025
Published date: 4 April 2025
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Lound Mulrenan Jefferies Solicitors
Address(es): Unit 14 Eurolink Business Centre 49 Effra Road London SW2 1BZ
Firm ID: 267193
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
The SRA has put restrictions on where and how Mr Lock can work in an SRA regulated firm.
It was found that Mr Lock, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has been convicted of a criminal offence which is such that it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.
The facts of the case
Mr Lock worked as a self-employed consultant caseworker for Lound Mulrenan Jefferies Solicitors (the firm) which is a recognised body, from October 2013 to November 2021. During that time, he failed to declare any earnings received from the firm and failed to pay any tax on those earnings. Over an eight-year period, he received payments in the region of £500,000 and the loss to the Revenue in unpaid tax was in the region of £160,000.
Mr Lock pleaded guilty to, and was convicted of, an offence of fraudulent evasion of income tax at Buckingham Magistrates Court on 17 April 2023.
Decision on outcome
An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Mr Lock's conduct meant that it was undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA's prior approval. The order pursuant to section 43 was made with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mr Lock of this decision.
Mr Lock's conduct was serious because it involved him acting dishonestly over a prolonged period of time and committing a serious criminal offence.
Mr Lock was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA's costs of £300.
What our Section 43 order means
- no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his practice as a solicitor;
- no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
- no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
- no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to have an interest in the body except in accordance with the SRA's prior written permission