14 November 2025 / Clare Hughes-Williams

Issue: 8139 / Categories: Features , Profession , Regulatory

Dishonesty: Crossing the line

Does dishonesty always result in a strike-off? Clare Hughes-Williams considers some exceptional circumstances

In disciplinary cases involving solicitors, dishonesty typically results in being struck off the roll. However, the recent SRA v Goodwin case shows that exceptional mitigating circumstances can lead to alternative sanctions.
The Goodwin decision—where a solicitor was suspended rather than struck off—joins a small group of cases where personal health issues, stress, or isolated lapses have been accepted as mitigating factors, provided strong evidence supports them.
Despite such exceptions, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal continues to uphold a strict approach—only truly exceptional, well-documented cases avoid strike-off for dishonesty.

The recent case of SRA v Goodwin (Case No 12726-2025) is evidence, if further evidence is needed, that when the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) succeeds in proving dishonesty against a solicitor, the starting point in terms of sanction for the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) is that the solicitor should be struck off.

SRA v Goodwin

The facts of this case were that Mr Goodwin sent an email

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Dishonesty: Crossing the line

Issue: 8139 / Categories: Features , Profession , Regulatory

Does dishonesty always result in a strike-off? Clare Hughes-Williams considers some exceptional circumstances

In disciplinary cases involving solicitors, dishonesty typically results in being struck off the roll. However, the recent SRA v Goodwin case shows that exceptional mitigating circumstances can lead to alternative sanctions.
The Goodwin decision—where a solicitor was suspended rather than struck off—joins a small group of cases where personal health issues, stress, or isolated lapses have been accepted as mitigating factors, provided strong evidence supports them.
Despite such exceptions, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal continues to uphold a strict approach—only truly exceptional, well-documented cases avoid strike-off for dishonesty.

SRA v Goodwin

The facts of this case were that Mr Goodwin sent

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Dishonesty: Crossing the line

SRA v Goodwin

SRA v Goodwin

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Browne Jacobson—Vicky Tomlinson

DWF—five appointments

Switalskis—Laura Ornsby