Former Ashurst IT Analyst Barred from Legal Practice Following Laptop Misappropriation

A former IT analyst at Ashurst Perkins Coie has been barred from working in law firms without the permission of the Solicitors Regulation Authority after he took a laptop from the firm's Glasgow office and failed to return it.

Lewis Duncan served as an IT service desk analyst at Ashurst's Glasgow office from April 2023 until his summary dismissal in April 2024.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority found that in February 2024, Duncan removed a laptop belonging to the firm from its Glasgow office without authorisation and took it home for personal use. He did not return the device, leading the regulator to conclude that his actions were dishonest.

The situation escalated later that month when Ashurst discovered that laptops were missing from its IT storeroom. Subsequent stock checks revealed that one laptop remained unaccounted for, prompting the firm to utilise security software capable of tracking the device even if it had been wiped.

Investigations by the firm's IT team indicated that the missing laptop had connected to the same home IP address and Wi Fi network that Duncan used while working remotely on his firm issued laptop.

Following these findings, Ashurst remotely locked the laptop, making it unusable. A message appeared on the device instructing anyone who switched it on to contact the firm's IT helpdesk, but Ashurst reported that it did not receive any such calls.

After conducting an investigation and holding a disciplinary hearing, Ashurst dismissed Duncan for serious misconduct and subsequently reported him to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

The SRA has now issued a section 43 order against Duncan, determining that his dishonest conduct rendered it undesirable for him to be involved in legal practice without prior approval from the regulator. Additionally, he has been ordered to pay £600 towards the SRA's costs.