The Solicitors Regulation Authority has shut down a West Yorkshire construction law firm for major failings…
An experienced construction law firm has been shut down for failings, it has emerged. Barringtons Legal, which has its headquarters in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was established in 2013. The firm was started by experienced lawyer, Susan Anita Barrington-Binns, with support from the West Yorkshire Enterprise Agency. It was made up of an all-female team and employed a non-practicing barrister, as well as a trainee solicitor.
Barington-Binns, who has more than 20 years’ worth of experience in the sector, has also worked in the Turks and Caicos Islands. She is a member of the Technology and Construction Solicitors’ Association (TeCSA).
However, the firm has been shut down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after the adjudication panel found there is “reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of any manager or employee of Barringtons Legal Ltd in connection with that body’s business”.
The panel also found the firm had “failed to comply with the rules applicable to the body or the manager by virtue of section 9 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985”.
The regulator also said there was “reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Susan Anita Barrington-Binns in connection with her practice”.
The intervening agent appointed is Neal Boland of Stephenson Solicitors, based in Leigh.
Update 19/10/2016:
Susan Barrington-Binns told PBC Today the SRA have now withdrawn the allegation of dishonesty and ended the suspension of her practising certificate.
I confirm that I have challenged this allegation of suspicion of dishonesty by the SRA by all possible methods. I expressly deny the allegations which led to the intervention and am challenging the wrongful findings by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal proceedings. The SRA conducted themselves in the most morally reprehensible manner by carrying out the intervention with the knowledge not only that I was out of the office at the time, but in fact out of the country and my rights to legally challenge the process by appeal to court, of only 7 working days was severally prejudiced. This is from a body that purports to represent Solicitors. I have had a totally unblemished 20 year career without a single complaint until this unfortunate incident.