EDITOR’S UPDATE/ REQUEST – April 16, 2018: Can you give more information on the “suspected dishonesty” outlined below? Judging from the amount of search traffic this article gets, this may well have affected many more people than first realised. Please email lewishamlately@gmail.com with any details.
A Lewisham solicitor firm was forced to close indefinitely last week due to suspected dishonesty on the part of its founding partner.
Bilson Henaku Solicitors, based at 73a – 77a Lewisham High Street, was ordered to cease practising by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) on February 6.
The SRA stated the reasons as suspected dishonesty on the part of Barbara Afua Bilson, who established the practice in 2006 along with Dr. Kofi Henaku.
Both Ms Bilson and Queen Gladys Appoh, another solicitor at the practice, were also said to have “failed to comply with rules made by the SRA, including the SRA Principles 2011 and the SRA Accounts Rules 2011.”
Both of their solicitor practising certificates have been suspended.
The practice is on the high street on the three floors above the Express Food and Wine, Subway, and Herbs & Acupuncture shopfronts.
On its website it says it has also a Central London branch office in 83 Victoria Street, an address with serviced office space to rent.
According to an SFA spokesperson an investigation remains under way after it ordered an “intervention” into the firm.
In an emailed statement they wrote: “An intervention means the SRA has closed a firm with immediate effect. We will stop the firm from operating, take possession of all documents and papers held by the firm – including clients’ papers – and take possession of all money held by the firm, including clients’ money.
“The SRA has appointed an agent to deal with all matters currently held by Bilson Henaku. The agent will assess all on-going matters and deal with those of greatest need first. The SRA’s archive team will take control of all documents held by the firm.
“At this stage of the SRA’s work, no further details can be disclosed. It is only if disciplinary proceedings become necessary that any information is released into the public domain.
“The SRA will now complete its investigation and decide on the appropriate course of action.
“There is no timescale for how long this work will take.”
Lewisham Lately 