Hogan Lovells dismisses senior litigator over £1m of false expenses
Hogan Lovells senior litigator Christopher Grierson has been dismissed from the partnership after claiming over £1m in false expenses over the course of four years.
Following an internal investigation that was set in motion at the beginning of this year, Grierson was dismissed last week and has now been reported to the SRA.
Partners were informed over the weekend while the rest of the firm was told of Grierson’s dismissal yesterday.
A spokesperson at the firm said that Grierson had co-operated fully with the firm’s inquiries and has agreed to repay the full £1m within 14 days.
The spokesperson added: “An investigation carried out by the firm has revealed that no clients were affected as a result of Christopher’s actions.
“Christopher acted entirely on his own. He was a long-standing partner in the firm and highly regarded. We’re very saddened and concerned by these events, which represent a major breach of trust.
“We’re very clear as to our professional responsibilities as solicitors and we’ve promptly taken the appropriate action.”
Grierson, who is in his late fifties and who was on legacy firm Lovells’ partnership council from 2006 to April 2009, is a distinguished international litigator. His recent cases have included advising AAR, the consortium made up of Russian conglomerates Alfaa Group, Access Industries and Renova Group, on its dispute on the TNK-BP energy venture in Russia.
He is best known for having advised BCCI liquidators Deloitte & Touche for over a decade. That work came to an end after Deloitte’s controversial £850m claim against the Bank of England sensationally collapsed in November 2005 (7 November 2005).
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Readers' comments (95)
Anonymous | 25-May-2011 3:31 pm
@Thor
Err...the other partners, perhaps?
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Chippy Git | 26-May-2011 1:27 pm
"THOUSANDS of sick ghouls are hailing crazed murderer Raoul Moat as a HERO"
Sympathy for Grierson by so called members of the "City Mafia" is as nothing to the outpourings of soap dodgers as evidenced by the SUN headline above from July last year.
Yes Grierson may have committed a crime, we all wish he had not. What drove him will never be clear. That does not disentitle those who knew and respected him from expressing sadness at this katharsis. It is a tragedy for him and his family and expressions of sympathy are a civilised response.
The "thieving b******" contributors to this thread show no compassion.
The implication that this is a CLASS issue is demeaning. 18000 bloggers misguidedly leapt to Moats support. Nobody here is lionising Grierson.
Expressions of sadness at Grierson's downfall should not be taken to condone his behaviour, they are the response of a civilised community.
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Steve | 10-Jun-2011 5:52 pm
I'm baffled by posters leaving messages of support for this guy. So he was pleasant to work with? How is that at all relevant? The guy was already earning pretty good bank and still saw fit to fiddle his expenses and steal a heap more. Yes, it is theft. It's like skimming off the petty cash box but on a much bigger scale.
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Rumpold | 12-Jun-2011 5:46 pm
I am sickened by the comments of support for this crook. It comes as no surprise to me that the Police don't seem to be touching it. has anyone ever tried to get the Police involved in a Fraud or Theft matter concerning a solicitor?
The rozzers won't touch it without the "permission" of the SRA.
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Anonymous | 30-Mar-2012 11:31 am
Clients WERE affected. They ARE always affected in a matter like this. The must be - indirectly, that is. To believe the opposite is just insane.
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