A Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal panel member will be replaced over a comment made during a hearing of a case involving a former City lawyer, it emerged yesterday.
A remote hearing, chaired by Edward Nally, heard that the previous lay member of the three-person panel had made a comment during a previous hearing and, as a result, recused herself.
Kirsten Von Wedel, admitted in 2000 and owner of defunct Berkshire firm K Law, faces ‘serious and wide ranging’ allegations including dishonesty, failure to pay stamp duty within the proper timeframe, sending offensive communications and causing improper transfer of client funds. She denies the charges.
Victoria Sheppard-Jones, for the SRA, told the tribunal the regulator’s case was now closed and it ‘would not be straightforward to start [the] matter again’. She said: ‘The principle of public interest [means] such allegations of dishonesty should be dealt with as expeditiously as possible.’
Sheppard-Jones told the tribunal that solicitor members of the panel ‘did not comment on the conduct of the lay member’ and had been ‘completely transparent on the comment’, which was not repeated during today’s open hearing.
The comment was made during a previous hearing and ‘had not been about the substantive hearing but about the CMH’ and for the panel to recuse itself ‘would be disproportionate and unnecessary’.
Von Wedel, who represented herself, said: ‘I stay neutral on whatever the applicant and you decide is the best way forward.’ She added: ‘After three years, it is in everyone’s interest to get this over and done with.’
The panel decided the ‘proportionate and proper course is for the hearing to continue with the existing members… and a new lay member’.
The hearing, which is due to resume again next month, continues.
