FRYER:CROOKED LAWYER STRUCK OFF FOR USING CLIENTS’ CASH TO RUN FIRM
A crooked solicitor who took £609,417 from his clients while running his business on their money has been thrown out of the profession.
Howard Fryer, 58, told investigators he was ‘appalled’ by what he had done and admitted the money would never be repaid.
He ran the firm Fryer Chandler from offices in Railway Street, Chelmsford, Essex, which was raided by inspectors in July last year, the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal heard.
They found Fryer had wrongly transferred client’s money into the office account – used to run the firm and pay his wages.
Fryer was suspended and the firm was taken out of his control after it was found that at least two clients had been overbilled.
He said he had used the money to pay off legal bills incurred when he settled wills for clients.
‘I am appalled by what I have done. I am deeply sorry to my clients and colleagues,’ Fryer said.
‘I cannot believe I would have done it had I not been ill and pressurised by business worries.’
But Mr Andrew Bullock, for the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority said: ‘This was a case of substantial financial dishonesty committed over a period of 18 months which would have undoubtedly benefited Mr Fryer to the detriment of his clients and the wider profession.
‘His explanation was that he was borrowing money from the client account in the expectation it would be ultimately repaid off by a will writing company of which he is a director and an inheritance.
Mr Bullock added: ‘He only appears to have exhibited signs of depression in July 2010 about the time the investigation started into his firm.’
But the hearing was told Fryer had consulted a psychiatrist in 2001.
Fryer did not attend the hearing but was found guilty of failing to keep his accounts properly, wrongly withdrawing money from client’s accounts, improperly utilising clients’ money for other clients, wrongly taking money for costs, and failing to remedy breaches of the solicitors accounts rules.
The lawyer was also found guilty of dishonesty.
Chairman David Leverton told him: ‘It is quite clear that the respondent knew exactly what he was doing at the time he did it and he deliberately took client’s money in order to run his practice.
‘There is a large amount still outstanding and the respondent is apparently unable to make reparations.’
In addition to the striking off order Fryer was ordered to pay costs of £2,400.
The clients who lost money from their accounts will now have to make claims on the Solicitors’ Indemnity Fund.
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