If Your UK Solicitor Is Struck Off, What Does That Mean for You?
A recent disciplinary ruling has drawn attention to one of the most serious outcomes in legal regulation: a solicitor being struck off the roll.
The decision followed findings that Joe Morgan, who operated an online document certification service, repeatedly certified documents without ever seeing the originals.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal concluded that this conduct breached professional standards, caused harm to clients, and undermined public confidence in the profession.
Cases like this are often reported briefly and then forgotten. Yet for members of the public who rely on certified documents, particularly in immigration, overseas transactions, or probate matters, the implications can be lasting.
The phrase “struck off” sounds decisive, even terminal. What it actually does, and what it does not do, is less widely understood.
Could This Affect You?
Most people never expect to encounter the solicitor disciplinary system directly. But if you have ever asked a lawyer to certify a passport, bank statement, degree certificate or company document, this issue may apply to you more closely than you think.
Certified documents sit quietly behind many everyday processes. They are used to open foreign bank accounts, register property abroad, submit visa applications, or prove identity to overseas authorities.
In most cases, clients never question how the certification was done — only that it carries a solicitor’s name and signature.
The problem is that the validity of a certified copy depends not just on the stamp, but on whether the certification followed the rules.
When a solicitor is struck off for failing to follow those rules, it raises a reasonable question for past users of their services: does this affect documents I already have?
What This Means for Your Documents
Being struck off means a solicitor is removed from the roll and can no longer practise as a solicitor. They cannot offer reserved legal services, describe themselves as a solicitor, or operate under professional regulation.
What it does not mean is that all their past work automatically becomes void. The impact is more specific, and depends on the type of work involved.
With document certification, the risk arises where a document was certified without the solicitor seeing the original. In the tribunal case, at least one member of the public later discovered that documents issued through the online service were not accepted for their intended purpose.
In practice, this can mean:
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A government body, bank or foreign authority may reject the document if the certification process is questioned.
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You may need to obtain a new certified copy, properly completed, causing delay and additional cost.
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In time-sensitive matters — such as immigration or property deadlines — those delays can have wider consequences.
The sanction itself does not invalidate documents by default. But it signals that certain certifications may not withstand scrutiny when relied upon later.
What You Can Do Now
If you have used a solicitor who has since been struck off, the first step is to identify which documents or matters might be affected. Focus on work where formal certification or verification was central, rather than general advice.
Next, consider whether the document has already been accepted by the organisation you dealt with. If a certified copy was submitted and approved some time ago, no further action may be needed.
If the document has not yet been used, or has been queried, the safest course is usually to have it re-certified by an authorised professional who physically inspects the original. Depending on the purpose, this may require a solicitor or a notary.
For routine legal tasks, some clients also choose regulated legal technology platforms that provide affordable, compliant services, rather than bespoke advice.
If you believe you suffered financial loss, concerns can be raised with the Solicitors Regulation Authority. While not every situation will qualify for compensation, the regulator can explain what protections exist and what steps are available.
What the Law Says
Solicitor regulation is designed to protect the public rather than to punish technical errors. Certification rules are intentionally straightforward. When a solicitor certifies a document as a “true copy”, they must have seen the original.
That requirement exists for a simple reason: copies, scans and photographs can be altered. Even advanced software cannot confirm authenticity without reference to the physical document. Regulators have consistently taken the view that remote checks or AI-based verification are not substitutes for direct inspection.
Where concerns arise, the SRA investigates. Minor breaches may result in warnings or rebukes.
More serious or repeated conduct is referred to the tribunal, which considers factors such as harm, insight, repetition and risk to the public when deciding sanctions. Striking off is reserved for cases where trust is judged to have been fundamentally breached.
The Key Takeaway for Clients
Striking off is the most serious sanction the profession can impose. It removes a solicitor from practice and is meant to protect future clients.
It does not automatically undo past work, but it can cast doubt on specific services — particularly where documents depend on proper certification.
For clients, the message is not to avoid legal services, but to understand how they are carried out.
A certified document is only as reliable as the process behind it. When something genuinely matters — a visa application, a property transaction, or proof of legal status it is often worth checking how a document was certified, not just that it was.
