A high street firm chief plans to appeal the Solicitors Regulation Authority's decision to shut down his practices. According to intervention notices published on the SRA's website yesterday, the regulator has decided to close Essex firm Charles Ete & Co Solicitors and Hounslow firm Pride Solicitors Ltd.
Charles Ete, a partner at Charles Ete & Co and principal at Pride Solicitors Ltd, told the Gazette he 'intends to apply to reverse' the SRA's notices. He added that he recently acquired Pride Solicitors Ltd.
The intervention notice for Pride Solicitors Ltd states that the SRA's panel was satisfied that grounds for intervention existed, 'namely that Charles James Ete, as a manager at Pride Solicitors Ltd and Pride Solicitors Ltd had breached the SRA Principles 2011 and the SRA Accounts Rules 2011.' The notice states there was 'reason to suspect dishonesty by an employee of Pride Solicitors Ltd, namely Daniel Li Anafi, in connection with that body's business'.
An intervention notice for Ete states that 'there is reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Mr Charles Ete in connection with his practice as a solicitor', and that he failed to comply with SRA principles and accounts rules.
Ete's notice also states that 'there was reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of an employee of a solicitor, namely an individual known to Charles James Ete as Daniel Li Anafi in connection with Charles James Ete’s practice at Pride Solicitors Ltd', and that Ete 'failed to comply with the rules made by virtue of... the Solicitors Act 1974 (as amended)'.
The intervention notice for Charles Ete & Co states that 'there is reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Mr Charles Ete in connection with his role as a manager' of the Essex firm, and that the firm, and Ete as a manager, breached SRA principles and accounts rules.
According to its website, Charles Ete & Co covers general litigation, and family, divorce, immigration and criminal law. Pride Solicitors specialises in administrative law with 'particular expertise' in personal injury, immigration, human rights, family law and commercial conveyancing.
