Jack Grunhut v Solicitors Regulation Authority Limited [2025] EWHC 592 (Admin)

An appeal by Jack Grunhut against the decision of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to strike him off the Roll of Solicitors. The Tribunal found that four allegations against him were proved, including drafting a false deed of trust, providing false information to his employer, and failing to comply with anti-money laundering procedures.

Allegation 1: Grunhut was found to have drafted a false deed of trust to support a Stamp Duty Land Tax refund application. The Tribunal rejected his defence that he believed the document was a draft to help the client find the original deed.

Allegation 2: Grunhut provided false information to his employer about personal loans from clients. The Tribunal found his explanation that he misunderstood the term “financial relationships” to be not credible.

Allegation 4: Grunhut failed to disclose referral fees received from a lender, which he claimed were tokens of appreciation. The Tribunal found these were indeed referral arrangements.

Allegation 6: Grunhut admitted to failing to conduct adequate client due diligence in a property transaction, breaching anti-money laundering regulations.

The Tribunal struck Grunhut off the Roll, citing the seriousness of the dishonesty and lack of exceptional circumstances to warrant a lesser sanction.

Grunhut was ordered to pay costs, which he contested on appeal. The Tribunal’s decision on costs was upheld.

The High Court dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the Tribunal’s decision or its assessment of the evidence and sanction.

The Law Society v Salsbury [2008] EWCA Civ 1285, [2009] 1 WLR 1286
Adesemowo v Solicitors Regulation Authority [2013] EWHC 2020
Ali v Solicitors Regulation Authority Limited [2021] EWHC 2709 (Admin)
Solicitors Regulation Authority v Day & Ors [2018] EWHC 2726 (Admin)
Solicitors Regulatory Authority v Good [2019] EWHC 817 (Admin)
Solicitors Regulation Authority v Siaw [2019] EWHC 2737 (Admin)
Martin v Solicitors Regulation Authority [2020] EWHC 3525 (Admin)
Metcalfe v Solicitors Regulation Authority [2021] EWHC 2271 (Admin)
Wingate & Evans v Solicitors Regulation Agency [2018] EWCA Civ 366, [2018] 1 WLR 3969
Bawa-Garba v General Medical Council [2018] EWCA CIV 1879, [2019] 1 WLR 1929, [2019] 1 All ER 500
Marinovich v General Medical Council [2002] UKPC 36
Ivey v Genting Casinos (UK) Ltd (t/a Crockfords) [2017] UKSC 67; [2018] Crim LR 395, [2018] AC 391

Solicitors Regulation Authority v Sharma [2010] EWHC 2022 (Admin)
Solicitors Regulation Authority v James & Ors [2018] EWHC 3058 (Admin)