The Sunday Times reported yesterday that a solicitor is being questioned by the legal profession’s watchdog as part of an investigation into a huge fraud allegedly involving one of Britain’s biggest property-law firms. The report stated:

"The man was a partner at a firm that was absorbed by DLA Piper, which now describes itself as the UK’s fifth-largest legal-services firm.

DLA Piper is not accused of fraud. The inquiry, revealed by The Sunday Times in January, is against predecessor firms DLA, Dibb Lupton Alsop and Alsop Wilkinson. A claim for nearly £30m, including interest, has been brought by Hampton Trust, now controlled by funds run by JO Hambro Capital Management.

Hampton alleges that in 1996 and 1997 the solicitors “in fraudulent breach of trust” took more than £5m of Hampton’s money from their client account and paid it to a firm controlled by Hampton’s then directors. Other allegations include a claim that Hampton’s money was used to pay for a holiday home in Florida for a man then associated with the company." To see the full Sunday Times report click here .

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