On CILEx application
A former legal assistant has been barred from working in the legal profession after he was found to have faked his manager’s signature.
Geraint David Lewis, who worked in the real estate team at Eversheds Sutherland, “fabricated” his manager’s signature on a portfolio evidencing the work that he had completed to become a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).
In January of this year, Lewis informed the firm that he had received a job offer and it was agreed that he would leave several weeks later. He later received an email from CILEx asking him to provide further information to support his application to become a fellow.
Lewis prepared this information but rather than getting his manager to sign the relevant documents, “he fabricated his signature and attempted to send these documents to CILEx in the post”, according to a regulatory settlement agreement published this week.
On the same day, Lewis’ manager spotted the portfolio with the fabricated signatures in the firm’s post tray to be sent to CILEx. Lewis left Eversheds Sutherland on 31 January and is currently not working.
The ex-legal assistant admitted faking his manger’s signature and that his conduct was dishonest.
Lewis received a section 43 order, meaning that he can’t work for any firm of solicitors without prior approval from the regulator. He was also ordered to pay £300 in costs.