Solicitor brothers faced different fates following SDT

Two brothers, who are both solicitors in the wills and probate sector have received different sanctions from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following an investigation.

Petros Petrou accepted he should be struck off after he over charged two estates by £275,000. He also agreed to never apply for reinstatement to the roll.

His brother Stylianos Petrou has been suspended for a year after having all but one allegation against him dropped, after the SRA couldn’t disprove Stylianos’ allegations that he had no knowledge of what his brother was doing.

After the suspension expires, Stylianos will be subject indefinitely to conditions that will prevent him from being involved in the running of a law firm. He will have to apply to the tribunal to have the conditions removed.

Petros took responsibility for what happened.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT), said:

“This is not a case where the respondents have advanced ‘cut-throat’ defences which could only be resolved at a trial.”

Both agreed to pay the SRA costs of £20,000 each, representing just over 60% of the regulator’s total costs.

This article appeared in Legal Futures and holds more details about the case.