Date
6 March, 2026
Decision
Indefinite Exclusion
Details of conduct / charges
The Disciplinary Tribunal (DT) found the following charges of professional misconduct against Claire Sadler proven on the balance of probabilities:
Charge 1
Contrary to Principle 1, Outcomes 1.1 and 1.2 of the CILEX Code of Conduct, Claire Sadler failed to uphold the rule of law and the impartial administration of justice, and engaged in conduct that misled or may have misled the Court and other parties to the proceedings in respect of two separate client matters, namely Client Matters K and W.
Charge 2
Contrary to Principle 2, Outcome 2.2 of the CILEX Code of Conduct, Claire Sadler failed to maintain high standards of professional and personal conduct and justify public trust in herself, her profession, and the provision of legal services by engaging in conduct which could undermine or affect adversely the confidence and trust placed in her and her profession by her client, employer, professional colleagues, the public and others.
Charge 3
Contrary to Principle 3, Outcomes 3.1 and 3.2 of the CILEX Code of Conduct, Claire Sadler failed to behave with honesty and integrity and be honest in all her dealings and in all financial matters and intentionally misled those she dealt with.
Charge 4
Contrary to Principle 5, Outcome 5.8 of the CILEX Code of Conduct, Claire Sadler failed to act competently and in the best interests of her client by failing to provide prompt, clear and accurate information and advice to her client and failing to advise them openly and honestly and keep them up to date with information they needed about the work she was performing for them within agreed timescales.
Particulars
a) In respect of Client Matter K, Claire Sadler filed Certificates of Service in circumstances where the relevant proceedings had not been served, and filed a document purporting to be a Defence, when the Respondent or the Respondent’s purported solicitors had not, in fact, filed one. Claire Sadler also fabricated an email purportedly sent by the Defendant’s insurers to her in July 2022 and saved it on her employer’s Case Management System (“CMS”) recorded false information in an attendance note saved onto the CMS, by recording that a defence had been received from the Respondent’s purported solicitors in September 2022, in circumstances where the firm had not been instructed on the matter and no such defence had been received; and, recorded false information on the CMS to show that Court proceedings were posted to the firm in July 2022, when the firm was not instructed. Claire Sadler’s conduct in this case led to the client’s case being time-barred and the client losing their right to prosecute their claim, thereby preventing them from accessing justice.
b) In respect of Client Matter W, Claire Sadler falsely recorded on the CMS that she had sent a letter to a witness in March 2022 (in which she referred to having previously sent a witness statement to them not yet signed or reviewed), in circumstances where there is no record of such correspondence having been sent. Claire Sadler also fabricated a witness statement purportedly signed by the witness on 4 April 2022, in circumstances where the statement had not been signed or approved by the witness and disclosed that fabricated statement to the Defendant in June 2022.
c) In respect of Client Matter Q, Claire Sadler fabricated a letter and medical report purportedly from a medico-legal company dated December 2022/ January 2023, together with a cover letter and falsely recorded receipt of the same on the CMS, seemingly with the intent or prospect of sending this to the parties and/or deceiving the parties and/ or the court into believing the documents were true accounts.
d) In respect of Client Matter Z, Claire Sadler fabricated a letter dated September 2022 purportedly from the Defendant admitting liability in the claim, where the letter was not genuine, and no admission had been made. She uploaded the letter onto the CMS and informed the client via letter of the Defendant’s purported admission. Ms Sadler also put an entry on the CMS referencing a letter dated 21 October 2022 to the client’s GP surgery in request for medical records in an apparent follow up to a prior letter (said to be dated 20 September 2022), in circumstances where there were no records of her sending any letters to the GP surgery prior to 21 October 2022.
In consequence of the above conduct set out in particulars a – d, the Solicitors Regulation Authority on 3 April 2025 decided to disqualify Claire Sadler from acting as a Head of Legal Practice, Head of Finance and Administration, a manager or an employee of a body licensed under Section 99 of the Legal Services Act 2007. The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s decision is published on its website.
Charge 5
Contrary to Principle 4, Outcome 4.2 of the CILEX Code of Conduct, Claire Sadler failed to comply with her legal and regulatory obligations and deal with her regulator openly, promptly and co-operatively.
Particulars
Claire Sadler failed to comply with her duty under Rules 11(1)(g) and 12 of the CILEx Regulation Enforcement Rules to declare as prior conduct, at the earliest opportunity, that she was the subject of an investigation and proceedings by the Solicitors Regulation Authority concerning her fitness to practice. Claire Sadler failed to declare as prior conduct, at the earliest opportunity, that the Solicitors Regulation Authority reached a decision to disqualify her from acting as a Head of Legal Practice, Head of Finance and Administration, a manager or an employee of a body licensed under Section 99 of the Legal Services Act 2007.
Outcome
The Disciplinary Tribunal found the above five charges proven on the balance of probabilities.
Sanction – Indefinite Exclusion
In accordance with Rule 30(5)(a)(iv) of the CILEx Regulation Enforcement Rules, the Tribunal ordered that Claire Sadler be excluded from membership of CILEX for an indefinite period, with a direction that no application for re‑admission shall be considered for a minimum of five years from the date of the Tribunal’s decision.
