Jonathan
Ward
Employee
7585308
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)
Outcome date: 11 November 2025
Published date: 21 November 2025
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Mills & Reeve LLP
Address(es): 24 King William Street, London EC4R 9AT
Firm ID: 464604
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Who does this decision relate to?
Jonathan Ward whose last known address was in Kendal, Cumbria.
A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor.
Summary of decision
The SRA has put restrictions on where and how Mr Ward can work in an SRA regulated firm. Mr Ward was employed at Mills & Reeve LLP as an IT Support Manager and was therefore previously involved in a legal practice
On 21 October 2024, Mr Ward was convicted of ten counts of indecent assault on a girl aged under 14 years. As a result, it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.
Decision on outcome
An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Mr Ward’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 him of this decision.
Mr Ward was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA’s costs of £600.
What our Section 43 order means
- no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her 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;
- o 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.