Nicholas Devlin

Introduction

Nicholas Devlin is a private client lawyer who was struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) after billing clients for work he had not done. A solicitor admitted in 2015, he worked as an associate in the wills and probate department at Carlisle-based firm Cartmell Shepherd, where he authorised the transfer of around £216,000 from client accounts over almost three years to pay for bills that had never been sent to clients or paying parties. The tribunal described his conduct as deliberate and repeated misconduct, and concluded that striking off was the only appropriate sanction.

Background Information

According to the statement of agreed facts and outcome, approved by the SDT, Devlin was admitted as a solicitor in 2015 and began work as an associate in the wills and probate department at Cartmell Shepherd in 2019. The record does not state where he worked before 2019, or any further biographical details such as his age or where he lives.

By the time of the tribunal proceedings he no longer worked at the firm. He admitted acting dishonestly by creating records between March 2020 and November 2022 that were misleading about the time he had spent on client matters, and acting with a lack of integrity over the same period by authorising the withdrawal of client monies without sending corresponding invoices to the relevant client or paying party.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

The misconduct came to light in July 2022, when Cartmell Shepherd discovered that Devlin had been creating time records that were “inaccurate, misleading and in excess of time actually spent”. The firm’s credit control and debt recovery team sent him a list of aged debts in 37 matters, totalling over £55,000, and asked if there was anything credit control could “actively chase”. He replied by referring to only six of the cases. When credit control asked, “Is everything else to be suppressed?”, he answered: “Please for now”.

The problem was picked up more fully when his head of department, going through Devlin’s old debts while working out his bonus, noticed a “worrying pattern” of billing early on and then not doing the work. Quizzed about his files in January 2023, Devlin said he had recorded 90 units in one matter for letters to over 50 beneficiaries that he had not actually done. The following month he admitted to nine matters where he had “recorded time, and raised bills, without having done the actual work”, and a further five where “it appeared that he had not done the corresponding work”.

In total, he authorised the transfer of around £216,000 from client accounts over almost three years to pay for bills that had never been sent to clients or paying parties. The SDT said he “actively sought to suppress the discovery” of the irregularities and instructed the credit control team to suppress the chasing of 31 out of the 37 matters. He later admitted he “was burying his head in the sand”, fearing that sending the bills would trigger client contact and requests for progress he had not made.

When questioned as part of his firm’s disciplinary process, Devlin said: “The actions I took were not for personal financial gain, they were to try to keep on or near billing targets… I felt my workload was being continuously increased and I struggled to cope. With hindsight I recognise that I should have said something to the firm, but I did not feel strong enough to.” However, Jonathan Carroll, director and COLP at Cartmell Shepherd, told the SRA that Devlin had “never been under undue pressure and has himself requested increased fee targets (and salary to go with them)”. Despite being authorised to stop taking new work, to stop taking work he saw as disruptive or unproductive, to block out his diary and to use additional support staff, he had “come forward on occasions requesting more work”.

Public Reaction and Consequences

In a statement of agreed facts and outcome, approved by the SDT, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) put forward strike-off as the sanction. The authority said Cartmell Shepherd was able to identify and rectify the issues caused, meaning no client suffered financial loss, but there had been “a significant risk” of it. The tribunal concluded: “Given the deliberate and repeated nature of his misconduct, the tribunal concluded that striking off was the only appropriate sanction, there being no exceptional circumstances.” Devlin was also ordered to pay £10,000 in costs.

Current Status

Nicholas Devlin was struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and no longer works at Cartmell Shepherd. The record does not state his current role, whereabouts, or whether he faces any further proceedings.

Impact on Their Career/Life

Struck off and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs, Devlin lost his ability to practise as a solicitor. The tribunal cited the deliberate and repeated nature of his misconduct and the absence of any exceptional circumstances as reasons why striking off was the only appropriate sanction. The record does not state whether he has attempted to return to the legal profession or taken up any other occupation since.

Sources

• Legal Futures, “Solicitor who billed clients for work he had not done struck off”, April 21, 2026. source