Kinetic Law permitted to employment of a section 43-restricted paralegal under strict SRA rules
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has approved the employment of Nicholas Gittins as a paralegal at Kinetic Law Limited, subject to strict conditions imposed under section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974. The decision, made on 28 April 2025 and published on 13 November, follows an application by the Blackburn-based firm for permission to employ Mr Gittins in a regulated legal setting.
Section 43 orders restrict the employment of certain individuals in roles connected to legal practice unless the regulator expressly approves their engagement. Mr Gittins has been subject to such an order since 25 July 2024. The SRA said permission was granted after it assessed the safeguards proposed by Kinetic Law and determined that the arrangement would not put public confidence or client interests at risk.
Under the terms of the approval, Mr Gittins’ work at the firm must remain strictly limited to the role described in Kinetic Law’s application of 16 January 2025. His duties and responsibilities cannot be altered without prior written permission from the SRA. Any proposed change must be submitted in advance, and no variation can take effect unless the regulator grants approval.
Supervision arrangements form a central part of the conditions. Daily supervision must be carried out by solicitor Shabaz Hussain. In Mr Hussain’s absence, supervision must pass to Kamran Ahmed. These requirements were set out in the firm’s January application and a supplementary email sent on 1 April 2025, both of which form part of the approved framework.
The decision makes clear that Mr Gittins may not have direct contact with clients unless either Mr Hussain or Mr Ahmed directly supervises that interaction. The conditions also prohibit him from receiving or holding client money or acting as a signatory to any office or client account. He is not permitted to supervise other staff at the firm.
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The SRA noted that the approval automatically lapses if Mr Gittins’ employment at Kinetic Law comes to an end. The regulator also retains full discretion to review, amend or withdraw the approval and the attached conditions at any time.
Kinetic Law Limited, operating from Phoenix Business Park in Blackburn under SRA firm ID 627329, applied in January for permission to employ Mr Gittins in the paralegal role. The application included specific information about his proposed duties, the systems in place within the firm, and the detailed supervision arrangement. The SRA’s review of this material led to the decision to permit his employment, subject to the defined restrictions.
In its published reasons, the regulator emphasised that complying with section 43 requirements is essential where an individual has been made subject to such an order. Any solicitor or legal practice wishing to employ a restricted individual must obtain approval before the individual can undertake any work connected with legal practice.
The SRA concluded that the employment arrangement proposed by Kinetic Law satisfied the necessary safeguards. The decision states that the regulator is “satisfied that the above employment will not put public confidence in the administration of justice and the provision of legal services or the interests of clients at risk”.
The conditions form part of the regulator’s oversight of individuals subject to section 43 orders. The SRA’s ongoing discretion allows it to intervene if concerns emerge or if the firm seeks to depart from the approved supervision structure.
The approval now allows Kinetic Law to employ Mr Gittins within the tight parameters set by the regulator, ensuring that the safeguards described in the firm’s application remain in force throughout his employment.