Emma Charlotte
Pearce
Employee
7330675
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)
Outcome date: 29 August 2025
Published date: 29 September 2025
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Coles Miller Solicitors LLP
Address(es): 44-46 Parkstone Road, Poole, BH15 2PG
Firm ID: 440598
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Reasons/basis
Who does this decision relate to?
Emma Charlotte Pearce (AKA Emma Charlotte Amey) whose last known address was in Poole, Dorset.
A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor.
Summary of decision
The SRA has put restrictions on where and how Ms Pearce can work in an SRA regulated firm. It was found that:
Ms Pearce, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has occasioned or been a party to an act or default which involved such conduct on her part that it is undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.
The facts of the case
Ms Pearce stole money two vulnerable clients of an SRA regulated firm. She abused a position of trust through numerous unauthorised cash withdrawals, cheque fraud and money transfers which she used to pay her own bills over a period of two years. On investigation of a fraudulent cheque in January 2024 Ms Pearce immediately admitted her wrongdoing and advised the firm of other instance of theft and dishonesty which were not known of at that time. She was summarily dismissed by her employing firm for gross misconduct.
Decision on outcome
An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Ms Pearce’s conduct meant that it was undesirable for her to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA’s prior approval.
The order pursuant to section 43 will not occur and will not be published until the decision is effective.
Ms Pearce’s conduct was serious because it involved stealing substantial sums of money from vulnerable clients over a prolonged period. It was dishonest and involved abuse of a position of trust that undermines the trust and confidence in the legal profession.
Ms Pearce was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA’s costs of £600.
What our Section 43 order means
- no solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
- no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the solicitor's practice;
- no recognised body shall employ or remunerate her;
- no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate her in connection with the business of that body;
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to be a manager of the body; and
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit her to have an interest in the body
except in accordance with the SRA’s prior written permission.