PostsNews

A&O Shearman partner resigns following drink-driving conviction

Avatar photo

By Legal Cheek on

11

Only joined Magic Circle firm earlier this year

breathalyser
A partner at A&O Shearman has reportedly resigned from the firm after being convicted of drink-driving.

John Goldfinch joined the firm in February of this year, prior to its merger with Shearman & Sterling, as part of a five-lawyer team from the US outfit Milbank.

Financial News reports that Goldfinch, a specialist in structured finance, pled guilty to drink driving at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on 9 May. He was fined £1,000, ordered to pay £85 in court costs and an additional £400 surcharge, and was banned from driving for 24 months.

An A&O Shearman spokesperson said:

“The firm takes such matters very seriously. The partner in question has accepted responsibility for this personal matter and has elected to resign from the firm. We wish him the best going forward.”

Goldfinch was approached for comment.

 The 2025 Legal Cheek Firms Most List

11 Comments

Anonymous

> “Has elected to resign from the firm
> “Has resigned”

Pick one.

Reply Report comment
(17)(15)

Re Zyned

I don’t think it’s necessary for him to resign. He just needs to learn from his mistakes. Being a lawyer does not mean you should be blemish free.

Reply Report comment
(71)(4)

Jon

He’s a solicitor not a priest. SRA will no doubt fine him on top for erroding public confidence in the profession de da de da when no member of the public could care less.

Reply Report comment
(24)(3)

unimpeachable managing partner

We are reaching a point where essentially every mistake is a career-ending one, i’m not sure it makes anyone better off

Reply Report comment
(43)(3)

Cowboy

Pleaded guilty not ” pled .” This is not the USA with its school ” proms ,” “can I get?” Moms and “snuck around the back etc.” Ghastly stuff.

Reply Report comment
(6)(5)

Doncha know anything? Why am I surrounded by freakin’ idiots?

It’s “cow-person” you sexist!

Reply Report comment
(1)(1)

4PQE

Will the SRA be using this as an excuse to up their fees as well?

Reply Report comment
(5)(2)

Mbank Anon

As someone who has worked with John, this is a huge shame. He was a very approachable partner who truly gave a monkeys about his team and those he worked with. That’s not something you can say about all partners. I hope he can learn from this mistake and move forward.

Reply Report comment
(12)(1)

Portia

The quality of mercy is not strained; it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath.

Reply Report comment
(4)(1)

Big Donny Trump

Lots of employers, law firms or not, have a clause about drink driving in their employment contracts. If you are risk of breaking that clause, dont sign it. Work somewhere else.

Or just dont break the law. Pretty easy.

Reply Report comment
(1)(3)

Norman the Conqueror

Nobody doubts that. The question is about the appropriate pubishment.

Reply Report comment
(1)(0)

Join the conversation

Related Stories

breathalyser test
news

Regulator dishes out £13,836 fine to drink-driving solicitor

New approach of linking sanction to salary

Jan 24 2024 10:33am
12
news

Former City law firm partner fined £15,000 for drink driving offences

Ex-Simmons & Simmons lawyer failed to report earlier conviction to regulator

Dec 9 2021 10:50am
Beer
news

Solicitor fined £2,000 after being caught drink-driving THREE TIMES in just one month

Regulator tipped off about convictions by two members of the public

Sep 12 2018 11:21am