SRA approves employment of suspended solicitor John Middleton under close supervision
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has approved the employment of suspended solicitor John Robert Peter Middleton by Bradford-based firm Goldsmith Bowers Limited under strict supervision conditions.
The decision, made on 18 May 2022 and published on 6 November 2025, granted permission under Section 41 of the Solicitors Act 1974 for Mr Middleton to be employed by the firm. The SRA’s approval allows him to work as a Senior Litigation Executive subject to detailed safeguards.
According to the decision notice, Goldsmith Bowers Limited, located at 10 City Hub, 9–11 Peckover Street, Little Germany, Bradford, firm ID 552127, sought the regulator’s approval to employ Mr Middleton despite his indefinite suspension from practising as a solicitor.
The SRA’s authorisation is conditional upon continuous and documented supervision by the firm’s director, Robert Ashall. Mr Middleton’s work must be directly supervised at all times by Mr Ashall, who is also required to conduct and record regular meetings with Mr Middleton to review his progress and overall performance.
The SRA decision states that Mr Middleton may be named on the firm’s headed notepaper, website, and publicity materials, but only if his non-solicitor status is made explicitly clear.
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The conditions also strictly prohibit Mr Middleton from handling or managing any client money. He cannot hold, receive, or take responsibility for client funds, nor can he act as an authorised signatory on any client or office account cheques. Additionally, he has no authority to approve electronic transfers or payments from client or office accounts.
The approval further requires that the Solicitors Regulation Authority be immediately notified of any changes to the firm’s structure or its place of business. The firm must also inform the regulator before making any changes to Mr Middleton’s duties or supervision arrangements.
The decision makes clear that the SRA may review the approval and conditions at any time it considers appropriate.
In its decision, the regulator stated that it was satisfied the approved employment and conditions would not undermine public confidence in the administration of justice, the delivery of legal services, or the protection of clients’ interests.
The approval of employment for a suspended solicitor under Section 41 is a regulatory safeguard used to ensure that individuals with previous disciplinary histories can only work in controlled environments where risk is minimised. Such permissions are not common and are typically granted only where the employing firm and supervisory arrangements have been thoroughly assessed by the regulator.
The SRA decision for Mr Middleton outlines one of the most detailed sets of conditions routinely attached to such permissions, reflecting the regulator’s focus on client protection and accountability.
Goldsmith Bowers Limited, operating as a recognised firm in Bradford, must now ensure that all requirements are met and that the supervision of Mr Middleton remains consistent with the regulator’s conditions. Any breach of these terms or failure to report changes to the SRA could lead to a review or withdrawal of the approval.