Clients left £100k out of pocket as sole solicitor struck off over massive money laundering breaches.
A solicitor who operated alone for years has been struck off after a damning tribunal found he failed to prevent potential money laundering involving more than £8.8 million and withheld over £100,000 in client funds.
William Joseph Harris, sole owner of William Harris Solicitors, was formally removed from the Roll of Solicitors by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) following a string of admitted regulatory failures spanning over six years.
The tribunal heard that Harris falsely claimed in December 2019 that his firm had a required Firm Wide Risk Assessment under the Money Laundering Regulations. In reality, no such assessment existed. This was not a minor administrative error—the tribunal described it as a serious act of dishonesty, especially given his direct responsibility for compliance across the firm.
Harris held multiple regulatory roles simultaneously, including Compliance Officer for Legal Practice, Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration, Money Laundering Reporting Officer, and Money Laundering Compliance Officer. Despite this, he failed to ensure that his firm had the required policies and controls in place to guard against money laundering between January 2018 and May 2024.
Embed from Getty ImagesHis firm, which specialised in high-risk areas such as residential conveyancing and probate, handled large sums of money without adequate checks. Between January 2022 and September 2023, Harris oversaw 63 conveyancing transactions without properly examining the source of client funds. He also failed to implement an adequate system for customer due diligence, as mandated by law.
In addition to the money laundering lapses, Harris failed to return more than £100,000 in residual client balances across 54 accounts. These funds, which should have been returned when no longer required, were held improperly for years.
He also neglected to submit the required Accountant’s Reports for three consecutive accounting years—2020 to 2023—despite holding client money during each of those periods. The tribunal noted that this failure further delayed regulatory scrutiny and allowed risks to continue unchecked.
The case was dealt with on the papers, meaning no live hearing was held. Instead, the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Harris submitted an agreed statement of facts and proposed outcome. The tribunal accepted this, viewing the admitted dishonesty and widespread compliance failures as extremely serious.
One allegation—recklessness—was withdrawn, as Harris had already admitted dishonesty, rendering the lesser charge redundant.
The SDT was deeply concerned by the systemic nature of the misconduct. Harris’s conduct left the firm vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing, with the staggering total of £8.8 million in unverified funds flagged as a critical risk. The prolonged withholding of client funds caused real harm, and Harris’s misleading regulatory responses prevented early intervention.
The tribunal stated that, in the circumstances, striking Harris off the Roll was the only reasonable and proportionate response to protect the public and uphold the integrity of the legal profession. His removal serves as a stark reminder of the consequences for legal professionals who ignore fundamental compliance obligations.
In addition to being struck off, Harris was ordered to pay £29,775.84 in costs.
This judgment marks a sobering chapter in legal regulation—a once-trusted practitioner, entrusted with overseeing compliance in a high-risk practice area, was found to have systematically failed in nearly every aspect of his duties, endangering clients and the wider public in the process.