Record fine

The High Court has upheld the largest fine ever imposed on solicitors by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. Fuglers and its two equity partners, David Berens and Bryan Fugler, were fined a total of £75,000 following a prosecution brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Berens had authorised the use of the firm’s client account for the benefit of Portsmouth FC at a time when the club was facing winding-up by the Inland Revenue and when the club's bank had frozen its accounts. Over £10m of Portsmouth FC’s money passed through the firm’s client account in four months, misconduct which the tribunal described as very serious. The tribunal fined Berens £20,000, the firm £50,000, and Fugler £5,000.