Lasting impact on female colleague
A former trainee solicitor has been barred from working in the legal profession after engaging in “inappropriate” conduct towards a colleague during a work social event.
James Chisholm, whose last known address was in Redcar, North Yorkshire, was employed at Newcastle outfit KK & Co Solicitors between March 2021 and October 2023.
At a firm-funded event organised by staff in October 2022, he was found to have “touched a colleague in an inappropriate and/or unwanted and/or sexually motivated manner without consent, causing them distress”.
The SRA found that his behaviour has had “a lasting impact” on the colleague.
Following an investigation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Chisholm was issued a section 43 order, restricting him from working in an SRA-regulated law firm without prior approval from the regulator.
The regulator concluded that it was undesirable for him to be involved in legal practice, citing the need to maintain trust in the profession.
The former trainee has also been ordered to pay £1,350 towards the SRA’s investigation costs.
Chisholm should not be confused with another solicitor of the same name who qualified nearly 30 years ago and is unrelated to this regulatory finding.