Leanne Sodergren used MLPLaw’s credit card to cover £300,000 in personal expenses over five years
Over the course of five years, Leanne Sodergren — the former head of finance at MLP Law — used her position to quietly funnel more than £300,000 through the firm’s credit card for personal expenses, triggering a disqualification order from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
The misconduct, which spanned from 2019 to 2024, was only uncovered when the firm’s bank flagged suspicious activity in July 2024, alerting the firm to possible theft or fraud. Sodergren had been responsible for managing the law firm’s credit card bills — a role she exploited to disguise her unauthorised personal transactions.
According to an internal investigation conducted by the firm, Sodergren systematically charged large sums to the company card for her personal benefit, despite not being a solicitor herself. Upon being confronted with the evidence, she admitted to the misconduct and resigned from the firm immediately.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe SRA labelled her conduct “dishonest” and exercised its regulatory powers under section 99 of the Legal Services Act 2007 to disqualify her from involvement in legal practice. Sodergren was also ordered to pay £600 in costs.
This case forms part of a growing list of disciplinary actions targeting financial mismanagement within legal firms, highlighting the importance of oversight and internal controls. While she avoided criminal prosecution in this instance, the reputational damage and regulatory action brought a definitive end to her legal industry career.
MLP Law has not issued a public comment on the matter but has reportedly tightened internal financial processes in the wake of the scandal.