Oxfordshire solicitor Susan Whitehead struck off for dishonesty involving a Lasting Power of Attorney document.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) confirmed this news. It happened on January 24. SDT published their decision. Whitehead misled people with a document. It was a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA).
She lied about when her client signed it. She also pretended to be someone else. She wanted information from a hospital. She must now pay the SRA £20,000.
She worked as a solicitor since 1974. She was also a partner at her firm. She had worked for her client since 1982. The client is called Client A.
He became very ill in April 2021. He entered the hospital in July. Client A wanted an LPA on July 15. This document allows someone to make choices for you.
He signed the LPA on July 17. Whitehead’s document said he signed it on July 9. The LPA signature order matters a lot. It shows the signer understood it.
The SDT said Whitehead knew about her client’s mind. They suggested he might not have understood. Whitehead acted as a certificate provider. This was not allowed.
The second issue happened in February 2022. Client A was in the hospital then. People needed a password to get data. Whitehead had the right password. She said she was Client A’s old friend to get facts. The SDT stated her actions were dishonest.