Former Walker Morris PA banned from legal practice after misleading colleagues over wedding fund
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has barred a former personal assistant at Walker Morris LLP from working in any regulated legal practice without prior approval, after finding that she acted dishonestly in her role.
Zara Dee Simpson, whose last known address was in Essex, was the subject of an SRA decision published on 29 September 2025 following misconduct that took place at the Leeds-based law firm. Simpson is not a solicitor.
According to the regulator, Simpson misled her employer by claiming that money collected for a colleague’s wedding had been allocated to a honeymoon fund via weddingshop.com. In fact, she had retained the money in her own bank account.
The SRA determined that Simpson’s behaviour was dishonest and incompatible with working in the legal profession. It imposed a Section 43 order under the Solicitors Act 1974, which prevents her from being employed or remunerated by any solicitor, law firm, or recognised body in connection with legal work, unless the SRA grants written permission. The restrictions also bar her from holding ownership or management roles in any SRA-regulated practice.
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The regulator explained: “Ms Simpson’s conduct was serious because it was dishonest.”
As part of the decision, Simpson was also ordered to pay £600 towards the SRA’s investigation costs.
Walker Morris LLP, headquartered on Wellington Street in Leeds, was identified as the firm where the misconduct occurred. The firm, which is authorised under SRA firm ID 508263, was not complicit in Simpson’s actions and has had no further connection with her since the matter came to light.
Section 43 orders are intended to protect the public and the wider profession from individuals whose behaviour undermines trust in legal services. While the SRA may grant exceptions in rare cases, such approval is only given where robust safeguards are in place.
By publishing the decision, the regulator underscored that dishonesty of any kind, whether involving clients, colleagues, or internal workplace processes, is treated as a serious breach. The SRA has repeatedly stated that integrity and trust are fundamental values for those working in the legal sector, regardless of whether they are qualified solicitors or employed in administrative roles.
Although Simpson’s position at Walker Morris was not a fee-earning one, the regulator concluded that her misconduct justified formal restrictions to ensure she cannot continue working in the sector without oversight.
The case adds to a series of recent disciplinary measures in which the SRA has imposed Section 43 orders on non-qualified staff, emphasising that the duty of honesty applies across all roles within legal practice.
The decision reinforces the regulator’s stance that dishonesty, even when unrelated to direct client work, undermines confidence in the legal profession as a whole and cannot be overlooked.