Solicitor David Chalcraft struck off after decade-long deception and client money breaches
A senior solicitor has been struck off the Roll after admitting to a decade-long pattern of dishonesty, including concealing from a client that their case had been struck out, misleading others, and mishandling client money while serving as a partner and compliance officer at a London law firm.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) found that David James Chalcraft, who qualified as a solicitor in 1985, engaged in serious misconduct over several years while practising as a partner at Alexander & Partners. The case was determined on the papers at a hearing on 3 September 2025, with the judgment issued on 22 September 2025.
The Tribunal heard that Chalcraft’s misconduct began in December 2012, when he failed to comply with a court order, causing Client A’s case to be struck out. Rather than informing the client of what had happened, he concealed the truth for more than ten years, continuing to mislead the client and others about the case’s progress. The Tribunal found that this deception extended until January 2023, spanning his time as the firm’s Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA).
Embed from Getty Images
In a separate matter, Chalcraft also settled a clinical negligence claim for another client (Client B) without obtaining instructions in July 2017, later misleading the client about what had occurred. The Tribunal held that these actions breached multiple provisions of both the SRA Principles 2011 and 2019, and the Codes of Conduct in force during the relevant periods.
Between 2019 and 2022, Chalcraft further caused or allowed his firm to retain client monies without justification and to use its client account as a banking facility, conduct prohibited under the SRA Accounts Rules. He also failed to obtain required accountant’s reports, breaching rules designed to ensure proper oversight of law firm finances.
In his written admissions, Chalcraft acknowledged dishonesty in relation to his conduct before 25 November 2019 and admitted all allegations against him. The Tribunal found his admissions properly made and noted that the agreed statement of facts demonstrated sustained misconduct that caused serious harm to clients and public confidence in the profession.
The case was resolved by way of an agreed outcome between Chalcraft and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), meaning both parties jointly submitted the proposed sanction to the Tribunal for approval. After reviewing the evidence, the Tribunal concluded that the only proportionate penalty was to strike him off the Roll of Solicitors.
In its written reasons, the panel said the respondent’s behaviour showed “a sustained course of dishonest conduct over an extended period” and that his actions “caused significant harm to clients and to the reputation of the profession.” The Tribunal added that the seriousness of the admitted misconduct left “no alternative sanction short of striking off.”
Chalcraft was ordered to pay £10,000 in costs, a sum agreed between the parties. The Tribunal said the costs were “reasonable and appropriate” given the scale of the case and the respondent’s admissions.
The judgment noted that while Chalcraft had cooperated with the SRA and accepted full responsibility for his actions, the level of dishonesty and the length of time over which it occurred placed the case firmly in the category requiring permanent removal from the profession.
The Tribunal’s final order stated: “The Tribunal Ordered that David James Chalcraft, solicitor, be struck off the Roll of Solicitors, and further Ordered that he do pay the costs of and incidental to this application and enquiry, fixed in the sum of £10,000.”
The decision brings to an end a professional career spanning four decades, marking one of the more severe sanctions imposed by the Tribunal in 2025 for prolonged dishonesty and failure to meet the fundamental standards expected of solicitors.