Lawyers struck off over a bill for £147,971 to handle divorce

12 April 2012

Two solicitors have been struck off after they overcharged a pensioner by £123,000 for handling her divorce.

Michael Miller and Alex Winterton, both 37, demanded £15,000 before they even started working for Sandra Hitchins — then charged her monthly until the bill topped £77,000.

Mrs Hitchins, 65, was advised by her barrister to sack the pair — but her final invoice came to £147,971. A judge ruled that she should have paid £24,271 at most but she had already handed over £52,000.

She said after they were thrown out of their profession: "What they did to me was unbelievable. I just hope it never happens to anyone else."

The pair ran City Legal Services from Winterton's home in Rotherhithe and refused to grant the Solicitors' Regulatory Authority access to their books, branding its demands "terrorism".

The authority found the firm's office in the City was just a mailing address and was unable to track down the lawyers.

"The attempt to contact them was reminiscent of a farce," Ian Ryan for the SRA told the hearing. "They totally failed to engage with the authority."

Mrs Hitchins, of High Wycombe, had known Winterton for 10 years. She had grown to trust him after he helped with the sale of her design agency and asked him to handle her divorce in 2006.

But the bill mounted as her husband fought her claims. "Winterton knew I had money and was determined to get it," she said. "He knew every angle, every string to pull."

The lawyers were found guilty of over-
charging a customer. Mrs Hitchings hopes to recover her £52,000 from their insurers or the solicitors' indemnity fund.

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