Disgraced former Lawrence Graham partner faces extradition

Police are one step further to bringing disgraced former Lawrence Graham partner Michael Fielding back to the United Kingdom.

In 2001, after running up millions of pounds of debt with the Royal Bank of Scotland, Michael Fielding allegedly took £2m out of client London & Regional Properties' account. On 2 June that year, Michael Fielding cleared his desk at Lawrence Graham, leaving a letter to the senior partner in which he confessed that he had removed substantial amounts of clients' funds and stated his intention "to be abroad for some time". The same day, he and his wife jetted off to Miami, where they are still living.

However The Lawyer understands that the Metropolitan police, which has been investigating the matter, has handed over documents to the Crown Prosecution Service.

As yet no charges have been made.

In June 2001 Fielding’s lawyer Gillian Benning, a partner at RadcliffesLeBrasseur, told The Lawyer: “He’ll come back when he's asked to; he wouldn't risk being extradited.”

The matter is also currently under investigation by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors.