A Lincolnshire solicitor has been charged with stealing over a quarter of a million pounds from her former clients.

Jacquelina Laverick, who practised under the name Jacqui Johns, appeared at Grantham Magistrates’ Court last week charged with 11 offences of theft totalling more than £250,000, and eight charges of money laundering.

Laverick was a salaried partner and head of the wills and probate department at the Grantham office of Chattertons. Four others were charged with money laundering and possession of criminal property.

None of the defendants entered a plea, and they were all released on unconditional bail to appear next month at Lincoln Crown Court.

Patrick Cordingly, a partner at Chattertons, said Johns worked at the firm until she resigned in July 2009. Since then, he said, the firm has assisted the police and SRA with their investigations, carried out its own investigations and compensated clients for any losses suffered.

An SRA spokeswoman said the nature of any regulatory action would be influenced by the outcome of the criminal proceedings.