Steven Sons and Pope LLP
Jubilee House, 56-58 Church Walk, Burgess Hill, , RH15 9AN
Recognised body
823903

Decision - Fined

Outcome: Fine

Outcome date: 7 November 2024

Published date: 21 February 2025

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Steven Sons and Pope LLP

Address(es): Jubilee House, 56-58 Church Walk, Burgess Hill, RH15 9AN

Firm ID: 823903

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Steven Sons and Pope LLP was directed to pay a fixed financial penalty of £750 and costs of £150. 

Reasons/basis

Steven Sons and Pope LLP  is a recognised body whose office is at Jubilee House, 56-58 Church Walk, Burgess Hill, RH15 9AN.

Firms must at all times have in place a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) and a compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA).

A firm must designate a person as its COLP and a person as its COFA and the SRA must approve that person before they commence their role.

The COLP and COFA of a firm have specific responsibility for ensuring a firm, its managers and employees comply with the SRA's regulatory requirements. They are also responsible for recording any breaches and reporting those to the SRA, where necessary.

A firm must promptly notify the SRA if it becomes aware of any material changes to information previously provided to the SRA, by it or on its behalf, including to its compliance officers.

The firm failed to:

• promptly notify the SRA of a material change to the information it had previously provided to the SRA about its COLP and
• promptly notify the SRA of a material change to the information it had previously provided to the SRA about its COFA in breach of paragraph 3.8(a) of the Code of Conduct for Firms

The firm failed to remedy this breach after being given notice and reasonable time in which to do so.

The firm was directed to pay a fixed financial penalty of £750 and costs of £150.