The firm admitted breaches involving client account reconciliations, residual funds and probate supervision.
Jackson Quinn has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after admitting a series of compliance failures involving client money and the supervision of probate matters.
The SRA decision, dated 21 September 2026 and published on 22 September, followed an investigation into the firm. Jackson Quinn also agreed to pay £300 towards the SRA’s investigation costs.
The firm self-reported to the SRA on 15 and 18 August 2024 that it held insufficient funds to meet liabilities to clients because of actions by a member of staff. The firm subsequently replaced the money that had been improperly withdrawn from its client account.
The SRA identified several additional concerns. Between December 2019 and July 2024, Jackson Quinn did not conduct compliant three-way client account reconciliations. The reconciliations did not include the required matter balance listing.
The firm also allowed an individual who was neither its Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) nor a manager to review and sign off those reconciliations.
Residual client balances were another issue. In 2014, the firm identified £936.17 that was due back to clients, but some residual balances remained on client ledgers until as late as January 2023.
The SRA also found that, between January and August 2024, the firm did not have adequate processes for supervising probate matters. Its Head of Conveyancing was also Head of Probate and the responsible fee earner, but spent limited time on probate work and relied heavily on trainee solicitors to progress matters with minimal supervision.
Jackson Quinn admitted that these matters breached the SRA Accounts Rules and the Code of Conduct for Firms. The admissions included breaches of rule 8.3 concerning client account reconciliations, rule 2.5 concerning the prompt return of client money, and paragraph 4.4 of the Code of Conduct for Firms concerning adequate supervision.
In deciding that a written rebuke was appropriate, the SRA considered the firm’s remedial action, self-reporting, cooperation with the investigation and stated insight and remorse. It also noted that the conduct concerned safeguarding client money, continued over a prolonged period and created risks relating to client account shortages and the supervision of probate work.
The firm agreed to publication of the outcome. The £300 investigation costs are due within 28 days of the SRA issuing a statement of costs