Kieran McLean
Employee
7159033

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)

Outcome date: 7 February 2025

Published date: 25 March 2025

Firm details

Firm or organisation at date of publication

Name: KP Law Limited

Address(es): 81 Chancery Lane London WC2A 1DD

Firm ID: 661050

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Kieran McLean's conduct meant that it was undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA's prior approval. The order pursuant to section 43 was made with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mr McLean of this decision:

Mr McLean was found to have dishonestly stated in an e-mail that an individual was a client of the firm when they were not. He was found to have acted recklessly when he signed a settlement agreement stating he was a qualified lawyer when he was not. In addition Kieran McLean produced an invoice from the firm he was working at with his own bank details for payment.

Mr McLean's conduct was serious because it would have been misleading, was dishonest and he made a financial gain from his actions.

Kieran McLean was also ordered to pay the SRA's costs of £600.

What our Section 43 order means

1. no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
2. no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
3. no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
4. no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
5. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
6. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to have an interest in the body except in accordance with the SRA's prior written permission.

Reasons/basis

Kieran McLean whose last known address was in Liverpool. A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor.

Summary of decision

The SRA has put restrictions on where and how Mr McLean can work in an SRA regulated firm. It was found that:

Kieran McLean, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has occasioned or been a party to an act or default which involved such conduct on his part that it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.

The facts of the case

Mr McLean stated that an individual was a client of the firm in which he was employed when he knew they were not. Mr McLean also signed a settlement agreement stating he was a qualified lawyer when he was not and acted recklessly in doing so when he did not take steps to ensure he met the criteria. Finally Mr McLean produced and sent an invoice to a third party purporting to come from the firm where he was employed which contained his personal bank details for payment.