The SRA warns of a fake legal letter misusing a city law firm’s name and solicitor details
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued a warning to the public after identifying a letter that falsely claims to be from Doyle Clayton Solicitors Limited and alleges unauthorised use of an accreditation status.
In an alert dated 8 February 2026, the regulator said it had been made aware of a letter sent to a member of the public that misuses the name and details of a genuine law firm. The letter purports to be a formal “Letter of Claim Pre-Action Notice” relating to an alleged breach involving accreditation status.
According to the SRA, the letter claims to have been sent by a senior associate at Doyle Clayton Solicitors Limited. It misuses the genuine firm’s address, telephone number and email address, as well as the name of a genuine solicitor employed at the firm. The regulator said the correspondence is designed to give the impression that it originates from an authorised and regulated law firm, when this is not the case.
The SRA confirmed that the letter is not connected to any authorised legal action and that it has no association with the genuine firm or solicitor whose details have been misused.
The regulator said it does authorise and regulate a genuine firm of solicitors called Doyle Clayton Solicitors Limited, which is based in the City of London. It also authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor named Victoria Denis, who is employed by that firm. Both the firm and the solicitor have confirmed to the SRA that they have no connection whatsoever to the letter referred to in the warning.
The SRA emphasised that any correspondence claiming to be from Doyle Clayton Solicitors Limited, or from Victoria Denis, in relation to the alleged accreditation matter described in the alert is not genuine.
Warnings of this nature are issued where the identity of a law firm or solicitor has been copied or “cloned” to mislead recipients. The regulator said such correspondence is often intended to pressure recipients into responding or taking action under the false belief that they are dealing with a legitimate legal claim.
The SRA advised members of the public and businesses to exercise caution if they receive unexpected legal correspondence, particularly where it alleges wrongdoing or threatens formal action. It said recipients should carry out their own due diligence by independently verifying whether a firm or individual is authorised and regulated.
This may include contacting the law firm directly using trusted and established contact details obtained independently, rather than relying on the information contained in the correspondence itself. The regulator also said that checks against public records and regulatory information may be required in some circumstances.
The SRA continues to issue public warnings to help protect consumers and businesses from misleading or fraudulent communications that misuse the identity of authorised legal professionals.