Solicitor accused of backdating emails as case heads to Disciplinary Tribunal

Bournemouth solicitor William Dooley faces tribunal over alleged falsified client correspondence

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has referred Bournemouth-based solicitor William Peter Dooley to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) over allegations that he created and backdated emails to mislead both a client and his supervising partner. The SRA’s prosecution decision was made on 26 March 2025 and formally published on 9 October 2025.

Dooley, who is listed under practising certificate number 507212, was employed at Ellis Jones Solicitors LLP, a Dorset firm headquartered at Sandbourne House, 302 Charminster Road, Bournemouth (firm ID 512098). The SRA confirmed that the independent Tribunal had certified there is a case to answer in respect of the allegations. The regulator’s decision means the case will now proceed to a full disciplinary hearing, where the Tribunal will determine whether the allegations are proven and what sanctions, if any, should follow.

According to the SRA’s published notice, the allegations concern conduct that took place in August 2021. It is alleged that Dooley created correspondence falsely dated 13 August 2021, purporting to show a request for an extension of time to meet client deadlines. The SRA also alleges that he created emails falsely dated 24 and 25 August 2021, and then provided misleading information to his supervising partner about why a client’s appeal submissions had not been filed on time.

The allegations suggest that the solicitor fabricated backdated correspondence to make it appear that proper procedural steps had been taken when, in fact, they had not. The SRA’s decision to prosecute indicates that the regulator considers the alleged actions to be sufficiently serious to merit referral to the Tribunal rather than being dealt with administratively.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal is an independent judicial body that considers cases of alleged misconduct brought by the SRA against solicitors, registered European lawyers, and others involved in the provision of legal services. It has the authority to impose sanctions ranging from fines and restrictions on practice to suspension or striking off a solicitor from the Roll. However, the SRA emphasised that all allegations against Dooley remain unproven until the Tribunal issues its decision after a full hearing.

In its notice, the regulator stated: “This notification relates to a decision to prosecute before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. The Tribunal will reach its own decision after considering all the evidence, including any evidence put forward by the solicitor.” The SRA declined to comment further on the case, citing ongoing proceedings.

Dooley, who continues to be listed on the SRA’s register as a practising solicitor, has not yet made any public statement regarding the allegations. The Tribunal hearing will examine whether the evidence supports the claims that he fabricated or altered correspondence to conceal missed deadlines and misled both a client and a supervising partner about the handling of an appeal matter.

Cases involving alleged dishonesty or falsification of documents are regarded among the most serious forms of professional misconduct in the legal profession, as they directly affect public confidence in solicitors’ integrity. If the Tribunal finds the allegations proven, potential outcomes could include a financial penalty, suspension from practice, or permanent removal from the Roll of Solicitors.

Ellis Jones Solicitors LLP, where Dooley was employed during the events in question, is a well-established firm providing a range of commercial, private client and litigation services across southern England. There is no indication that the firm itself is subject to disciplinary action.

The SRA’s decision reflects its commitment to upholding transparency and accountability across the legal profession. It also highlights the regulator’s stance that even isolated acts of misleading conduct or falsified documentation, if proven, can amount to serious breaches of professional ethics under the Solicitors Code of Conduct.

A hearing date before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has yet to be announced. Until the Tribunal reaches its conclusion, all allegations against William Peter Dooley remain unproven.