Bert
De Maeyer
Registered foreign lawyer
670123
Decision - Prosecution
Outcome: Referral to Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal
Outcome date: 29 January 2024
Published date: 10 July 2024
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Clifford Chance LLP
Address(es): 10 Upper Bank Street, London E14 5JJ
Firm ID: 447778
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Reasons/basis
This notification relates to a Decision to prosecute before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. This is an independent Tribunal which will reach its own decision after considering all the evidence, including any evidence put forward by the Solicitor. The Tribunal has certified that there is a case to answer in respect of allegations which are or include that, while in practice as a Registered Foreign Lawyer and as a member and manager at Clifford Chance, he :-
- On or around 19 and 20 September 2022, attempted to misappropriate client funds in the sum of approximately $1 million by:
- Sending an email to his client providing bank account details which related to a bank account beneficially owned by him
- forwarding a falsified email confirming the bank account details purportedly of the other party in the transaction for a payment of $1 million to be made when in fact the bank account details related to an account beneficially owned by him.
- Between 20 September and 1 February 2023, attempted to mislead the firm by attempting to delete a number of emails sent by him to his client or received from his client. It is also alleged that he provided false and misleading documents to the firm.
The allegations are subject to a Hearing before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and are as yet unproven.
Decision - Control of practice
Outcome: Condition
Outcome date: 19 June 2024
Published date: 20 June 2024
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Clifford Chance LLP
Address(es): Avenue Louise 65, box 2, 1050 Brussels
Firm ID: 447778
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Mr De Maeyer's registration as an RFL is subject to the following conditions:
- Mr De Maeyer may not hold, receive, or have access to client money or act as a signatory on any client account.
- Mr De Maeyer may not be a manager or owner of an authorised body.
- Mr De Maeyer may not be a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) or a compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA) for any authorised body.
- Mr De Maeyer may be employed only in a role approved by the SRA.
In these conditions the terms are as defined in the SRA Glossary.
Reasons/basis
The above interim conditions are made under rule 3.2 of the SRA Regulatory and Disciplinary Procedure Rules, which states that at any stage an authorised decision maker may, pending a final decision by the SRA or the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, impose interim condition(s) on the practising certificate of a solicitor or the registration of an REL or RFL. We are satisfied that these conditions are necessary in the public interest or for the protection of the public.