A SMALL solicitor's firm in Bournemouth has been closed by regulators after suspected dishonesty on the part of its sole practitioner.

Keith O’Neill can no longer practise following the intervention by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). His firm, Andrews McQueen, was closed immediately to protect his clients’ interests. Nobody was available for comment at the office in Lorne Park Road when the Daily Echo visited last week.

The SRA has taken possession of all money, documents, and papers held by the firm, which specialises in family and traffic law. It has appointed agent Karen Thompson, of Lester Aldridge LLP, to liaise with the firm’s clients.

A further investigation will now take place into the issues that were raised about Mr O’Neill to see if any disciplinary action is necessary. He has been a solicitor for nearly 40 years.

A spokesperson for the SRA said: “The Solicitors Regulation Authority has intervened into the practice of Keith O’ Neill at Andrews McQueen. The grounds of intervention are reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Mr O’ Neill, and his failure to comply with the rules governing the conduct of solicitors.

“The practising certificate of Mr O’ Neill has been automatically suspended, so he cannot practise as a solicitor.”

The spokesperson added that no more details about the intervention could be made public unless further action was taken.

“There is no timescale for how long this work will take,” they said.

Ms Thompson and her team at Lester Aldridge are helping former clients of Andrews McQueen get their files back so they can take them to another solicitors’ firm.

Meanwhile, the SRA’s archive team is taking control of all documents held by Andrews McQueen relating to closed matters.

The SRA says it is not responsible towards employees or trade creditors of firms that it has intervened in.

Joanne Clarke, the Bournemouth & District Law Society's honorary secretary, said: “[We] are aware of the SRA intervention in the Andrews McQueen office at the Lansdowne. Interventions into solicitors' firms by our regulator are fortunately rare events and a compensation fund is in place to ensure that clients’ money is safe.

"Whilst the SRA investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further. We would urge clients and former clients of Andrews McQueen who are concerned over the progress of their cases or the whereabouts of deeds or wills to make contact with the intervention agent Lester Aldridge. Andrews McQueen is being closed in an orderly manner and everything from the office is now safe in the possession of the regulator.”

Solicitors officially rebuked by regulatory authority

SOLICITORS from Bournemouth and Dorchester have been officially rebuked by their regulatory authority.

Philip Needham, who is currently employed as an assistant solicitor at Dutton Gregory in Poole Road, was sanctioned for failing to keep properly written up books of account and withdrawing client money in excess of that held for the relevant client.

He was a partner in Needhams Solicitors at City Hub in Bradford at the time, until the firm closed in 2017.

Mr Needham was issued with a written rebuke and was directed to pay costs of £675 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Kate Wadsworth, who was the compliance officer for finance and administration of the same Bradford firm, as well as being a partner, was found to have breached the SRA Accounts Rules 201,1 by failing to keep properly written up books of account and withdrawing client money in excess of that held for the relevant client.

She also failed to report material breaches to the SRA as soon as reasonably practicable.

Mrs Wadsworth, who now works as an assistant solicitor at Humphries Kirk LLP in Dorchester, was issued with a written rebuke and directed to pay £675 costs.