Addleshaws partner resigns amid expenses saga
Addleshaw Goddard is working with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) over alleged discrepancies in the expenses and disbursements of a former partner.
Mark Gilbert
Commercial real estate partner Mark Gilbert resigned from Addleshaws’ LLP on 10 May following an internal investigation into alleged discrepancies in the equity partner’s claims.
Gilbert is now a consultant at Devonshires, which he joined on 10 May.
No details have been released as to the amount of money in dispute and both Addleshaws and Devonshires said Gilbert denied any wrongdoing.
A spokesperson for Addleshaws said in a statement: “Mark Gilbert has resigned from the business after an internal investigation discovered apparent discrepancies relating to expenses and disbursements. This is a discrete set of circumstances; no similar set of circumstances has been identified and no clients will suffer any loss. The firm is cooperating with the SRA and will not be commenting further until its review has concluded. We understand that Mark, who denies any wrongdoing, is also cooperating with the SRA.”
Gilbert did not answer calls for comment.
The SRA has also been investigating another case of financial irregularities involving expenses at a major City firm.
On 17 May The Lawyer revealed that Hogan Lovells senior litigator Christopher Grierson had been dismissed from the partnership after claiming more than £1m in false expenses over four years, mostly in travel claims.
However, in that case Grierson admitted wrongdoing and offered to pay back the money that he had falsely claimed.
Readers' comments (6)
Hat trick | 31-May-2011 9:02 am
HogLov, Ince &Co, and now Addleshaws.
That's three in a row!
(For so many to have been found out indicates that many more undiscovered ones are probably still 'in the system'.)
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Anonymous | 31-May-2011 9:04 am
Another one?!
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Some perspective | 31-May-2011 12:08 pm
Just consider the BBC news flash below:
'Ex-Tory peer Lord Taylor of Warwick has been jailed for 12 months for falsely claiming £11,277 in parliamentary expenses.'
That's one month per £1,000. On that scale the previously mentioned City lawyers would be looking at a life time. But, the big question is: will Plod do anything?
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Anonymous | 31-May-2011 2:07 pm
(Neo-liberal crony) capitalism isn't working.
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Vercingetorix | 31-May-2011 4:53 pm
Interesting that HogLovs said no client "has" suffered any loss but Addleshaws say that "no clients will suffer any loss".
Does that mean clients have lost out but Addleshaws is going to make them whole?
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Scep Tick | 1-Jun-2011 9:29 am
I wonder how many of the 40 jobs cut after the profit drop could have been saved had Addleshaws' partners done their jobs properly. Pretty disgraceful that they can be allowed to use other people to cushion their incompetence.
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