Solicitor who received personal client payments in cash struck off

A solicitor who asked clients to pay fees in cash or into his personal bank account over more than four years has agreed to be struck off.

Matthew Goldborough kept work he was doing from his employers and directed clients to pay him in cash and via bank transfer to make sure they did not find out. His conduct extended to submitting client applications to the Home Office from a personal email address so as not alert his firm to this work stream.

Goldborough also received funds from clients for legal work that was never undertaken by him and admitted his conduct was dishonest.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal heard that Goldborough, who was admitted to the roll in 2005, was a consultant with east London firm NR Legal when he was instructed by a client to act in her divorce proceedings.

He told the client that legal fees would cost £1,000 but when she said she could not afford this in one payment she then paid £650 in cash to Goldborough. He has not returned the money nor made any efforts to do so.

Enquiries with NR Legal found that while there was a record of the client on its system, there was no record of any payment and no money had been deposited in the client account.

Another client on an immigration matter paid Goldborough £300 in cash and he gave the client a receipt from NR Legal. Asked to pay a further £400, the client asked why money was being transferred to Goldborough’s personal account. The solicitor replied stating it was because he was in partnership with someone else at the firm. For more than three years, no work was undertaken on this matter, prompting the client to report Goldborough to the Legal Ombudsman. The firm held no files for this client and had no record of any money being transferred.

When Goldborough moved to east London firm Julia & Rana Solicitors, he received almost £3,200 in cash from a client who in turn received receipts with the firm’s stamp. The solicitor admitted failing to disclose details of this client to the firm.

In mitigation put forward by Goldborough but not endorsed by the SRA, he accepted failing to meet the required standard of service in relation to the four identified clients. He said he had contacted clients and reimbursed them where he still had their details.

The SDT rubber-stamped Goldborough’s agreement with the SRA that he should be struck off. He must also pay £1,000 costs.