Jeffrey Hazelgrove
Employee
819064

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)

Outcome date: 21 May 2026

Published date: 4 June 2026

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Hunter’s Solicitors LLP

Address(es): Suffolk House, 54-55 The Green, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP10 0EU

Firm ID: 597315

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Who does this decision relate to?

Jeffrey Hazelgrove whose last known address was in Buckinghamshire.

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 Mr Hazelgrove can work in an SRA regulated firm. It was found that:

Mr Hazelgrove, 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 his part that it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.

The facts of the case

Mr Hazelgrove was employed as head of finance and operations at Hunters Solicitors LLP (the firm). He was also the firm’s compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA). He worked at the firm from March 2021 until 12 February 2026.

Between May 2025 and 12 February 2026, Mr Hazelgrove authorised and made transfers from the firm’s client account to its office account, to ensure its liabilities could be met and in circumstances where those transfers could not be justified.

Mr Hazelgrove’s actions were found to be dishonest.

Decision on outcome

An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Mr Hazelgrove’s conduct meant that it was undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA’s prior approval. The order pursuant to section 43 was made with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mr Hazelgrove of this decision:

Mr Hazelgrove’s conduct was serious because it involved dishonesty and such behaviour risks affecting public trust and confidence in the profession.

Mr Hazelgrove was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA’s costs of £600.

What our Section 43 order means

1. no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
2. no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
3. no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
4. no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
5. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
6. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to have an interest in the body except in accordance with the SRA’s prior written permission.