Nancy Ballard
Solicitor
266676

Decision - Sanction

Outcome: Rebuke

Outcome date: 29 September 2025

Published date: 10 August 2026

Firm details

Firm or organisation at date of publication and at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Davis Solicitors LLP

Address(es): Unit 21, Mildmay House, Foundry Lane, Burnham -on-Crouch, CM0 8BL

Firm ID: 499124

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

We have issued Ms Ballard with a rebuke for failing to progress the timely administration and distribution of an estate for which she was appointed as the sole executrix in her capacity as a solicitor and partner at Davis Solicitors LLP.

Reasons/basis

Facts of the misconduct

On 16 January 2016, Ms Ballard's client, executed her will and appointed Davis Solicitors LLP as the executors of the estate. The client passed away in February 2019, in Iran.

Ms Ballard retrieved the will and notified the family that she would begin the administration of the estate. There was an initial delay in obtaining the death certificate, which was due to the death having taken place in Iran.

In January 2022, the Legal Ombudsman upheld a complaint of poor service, made by the sole beneficiary of the estate. The decision highlighted that Ms Ballard had failed to progress the estate and failed to communicate with the beneficiary.

Ms Ballard applied for grant of probate around the end of May 2024. Probate was granted on 27 August 2024. As of 6 July 2025, distribution of the estate was only partially complete, some six years after the death.

It was therefore found that Ms Ballard failed to provide a competent service and so breached paragraph 3.2 of the Code of Conduct for Solicitors as well as outcome 1.5 of the SRA Handbook 2011.

Decision on sanction

It was decided that a rebuke was an appropriate and proportionate sanction.

Ms Ballard was issued with a written rebuke and ordered to pay costs of £1350.

This was because Ms Ballard's conduct was serious by reference to the following factors in the SRA Enforcement Strategy:

• Ms Ballard's regulatory history shows she was issued with a letter of warning, on 29 May 2024, which would suggest that there is a pattern of behaviour. It was reported that Ms Ballard failed to take account of relevant information her client had provided to her. Ms Ballard then placed reliance on her memory, whereas a review of the client file showed that the information had been received. This is similar conduct to the findings I have made above, where she acted based on her recollections as opposed to checking facts. Therefore, some public sanction is required to uphold public confidence in the delivery of legal services.
• Given the sensitive nature of probate matters and dealing with a grieving family, it is likely that there was some degree of harm, albeit an emotionalone. This has been referred to by the beneficiary of the estate – the unexplained delays have caused her stress and anxiety. The distribution of the estate has only partially been completed some six years after the death of Ms Ballard's client.

A more serious sanction was not considered to be proportionate by reference to the following factors in the Enforcement Strategy:

• Remedial action has been taken, by updating the firms' probate management process, which puts into place measures to prevent repetition of this behaviour,
• There was no personal gain to Ms Ballard or any evidence of dishonesty.

SRA Principles breached

SRA Handbook (2011)

Outcome 1.5 The service you provide to clients is competent, delivered in a timely manner and takes account of your clients' needs and circumstances.

SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs (2019)

Paragraph 3.2 You ensure that the service you provide to clients is competent and delivered in a timely manner.

Other information

On 30 March 2026, Mrs Ballard notified the SRA of her intention to appeal the decision to rebuke her.

On 30 July 2026, the Trubunal refused Mrs Ballard's appeal.