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)
Liquid | 18-May-2011 8:02 am
Does anyone know how much Lovells billed on BCCI and what proportion of the billed amount represented disbursements? Having made things public, in order to remain a credible outfit, HogLove must also make public whether they have reviewed the disbursements on all the major files that CG worked on.
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Anonymous | 18-May-2011 8:29 am
Various posters above are right - this is reputational dynamite for the firm but has been adroitly handled. The legacy Lovells press team is highly respected internally and across the City firms. The sympathetic way this has been reported by the media is the result of years of relationship building after some fairly bloody treatment in the past. The comms people deserve a lot of credit.
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Anonymous | 18-May-2011 9:21 am
How sickening to see the the replies here saying what a wonderful guy he is - no doubt it's his chums from the gentleman's club, rallying around.
The guy is a thief. Pure and simple. He stole £1m over four years and if you and I had done that we would be prosecuted and jailed - that he is prepared to repay it is an admission of guilt and in no way detracts from the fact that he stole the money.
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Anonymous | 18-May-2011 9:24 am
In response to "Cynical about comments"
No, I'm not Christopher Grierson in disguise, but I have known Christopher for many years and he was one of the best. I wholeheartedly concur with other anonymous entries above that Christopher was always a consumate professional, incredibly hard-working and above all a gentleman. I cannot imagine for one minute what has prompted this behaviour but it is a very sad end to a distinguished career.
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Anonymous | 18-May-2011 10:01 am
"Anonymous 18May-2011 9.24am"
Obviously not that supportive that you're prepared to publicise your name. Why would that be?
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Bobby Smith | 18-May-2011 10:19 am
This shows, once again, the damage that can be caused by group think and the old school mentality of the city. 'He's one of us' thinking allowed this man to get away with stealing FOR FOUR YEARS. And now he's been found out that same mentality attempts to suggest that there are two types of stealing, one for the rich and connected and one for the rest of us. It is exactly this sort of distorted thinking that has allowed the bankers off the hook, despite their theft of billions of taxpayers money to stay afloat, and it exactly this distorted thinking that aloowed this man to get away with this for so long.
Remember the Goldman Sachs secretary who stole from her employer..........currently serving 4 years!
All in this together...................no!
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Hugey | 18-May-2011 10:21 am
The repeated references to what a gentleman this guy was are somewhat surreal. Even Stalin was nice to children.
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Anonymous | 18-May-2011 10:27 am
In response to "Cynical about comments"
I'm not Chris in disguise either. I doubt very much he is trawling through The Lawyer's website at the moment to see what people are saying about him. No-one condones what he did - or indeed understands - but that shouldn't take away from the fact that he really was one of the nicest partners in the firm. The fact that some of his ex-colleagues have shown him support and acknowledged his good characteristics doesn't deserve such derision and contempt.
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Anonymous | 18-May-2011 10:45 am
Let's be frank. We're at best talking money transfer by deception / fraud, possibly with forgery as well if faked receipts / dcouments were presetned alongside the claims.
Regardless as to his pleasing character the chap needs to be interviewed under caution, it simply isn't good enough for COLP to decline to deal as this is a 'civil matter'.
As for HoLo's reputation if I was one of their client's I would be having grave concerns as to their internal governance processes and risk management, notwithstanding that they seem to find it unsurprising that he could spend probably in the region of £1200 per day!
Who signed off his claims, who was auditing the expenses, let's be frank if you can be so slack with £1m what's the odd leak of confidential and market senstive information?
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Anonymous | 18-May-2011 11:16 am
Gentlemen don't steal from their partners.
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