SRA warns public after scam emails falsely claim to be from Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has issued a warning after fraudulent emails were sent to members of the public falsely claiming to originate from Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP in connection with alleged copyright infringement.
In an alert published on 20 January 2026, the SRA said it had been notified of emails that misused the name of the firm and the identity of a genuine solicitor. The messages purported to be legal correspondence concerning copyright infringement but were not sent by any SRA-authorised individual or firm.
The regulator said the emails were sent from the Gmail address “travhearkibbmel1989@gmail.com” and were signed by an individual calling themselves “Steve D’Amore”, who claimed to be a senior legal counsel. The emails also included a United States telephone number and a postal address in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The SRA confirmed that any business or transaction conducted through the email address used in the messages is not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised or regulated by the regulator.
The alert clarifies that there is a genuine Registered Foreign Lawyer, Stephen D’Amore, who is authorised and regulated by the SRA under ID number 658292. However, the SRA said it is believed that he has no connection to the emails referred to in the warning.
The regulator also confirmed that Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP is a genuine firm of solicitors, authorised and regulated by the SRA under ID number 447895, and also regulated by the Law Society of Scotland. The firm’s London branch office is located at 1–6 Lombard Street, London, EC3V 9AA, with a contact telephone number of 020 7429 4900.
Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP uses the email domain “@shepwedd.com”, and its official website is www.shepwedd.com. The firm has confirmed to the SRA that it has no connection to the fraudulent emails and does not employ anyone named Steve D’Amore.
The SRA warned that the emails misuse the firm’s name, email address and website details in an attempt to appear legitimate. It said such impersonation, sometimes referred to as identity cloning, requires recipients to take particular care.
The regulator has advised anyone who receives correspondence claiming to be from Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP, or from an individual associated with the firm, to carry out independent checks before responding. This includes contacting the firm directly using established contact details rather than those provided in the suspicious email.
The SRA also reminded the public that it can be contacted to verify whether a firm or individual is authorised and regulated, and that additional checks, such as consulting public records, may be appropriate in some cases.