Paul Gerard
Employee
7331414

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)

Outcome date: 17 September 2025

Published date: 1 October 2025

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Irwin Mitchell LLP

Address(es): Riverside East, 2 Millsands, Sheffield, S3 8DT

Firm ID: 570654

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Who does this decision relate to?

Paul Gerard whose last known address was in Chesterfield.

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 Gerard can work in an SRA regulated firm. It was found that:

Mr Gerard, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has occasioned or been a party to an act or default which involved such conduct on his part 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 Gerard was a Senior Associate Paralegal in the Commercial Litigation Team at Irwin Mitchell LLP. He worked at the firm from November 2005 to August 2021, when he was dismissed.

During 2019 and 2020, while acting for Client A, Mr Gerard made a number of mistakes which would have caused loss to his client. He attempted to conceal his mistakes by fabricating and/or amending documents to mislead both his client and the firm.

Mr Gerard’s actions were dishonest.

Decision on outcome

An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Mr Gerard’s conduct meant that it was undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA’s prior approval.

Mr Gerard’s conduct was serious because it involved dishonesty and such behaviour risks affecting public trust and confidence in the profession.

Mr Gerard was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA’s costs of £1,350.

What our Section 43 order means

1. no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
2. no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
3. no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
4. no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
5. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
6. 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