By Sheila Mckenzie-
A prominent City solicitor has been suspended for a year after being arrested and cautioned for the possession of cocaine and not telling the Solicitor’s Regulator Authourity(SRA)
Matthew Podger, who has been practising for 7years, was an associate at US firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton when he was arrested outside his London home in 2018. Podger accepted a caution for possession of a Class A drug for his own use after being found with three wraps of cocaine.
Mr Podger, tried to cover up his second police caution for possession, but was exposed by an anonymous letter to HR.
The former finance associate resigned days after the second caution came to light. He has now accepted a one-year suspension as part of a settlement with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
According to a judgement published by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, Podger – formerly a trainee at magic circle firm Slaughter and May – did not report his caution to his employer or the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
A statement of agreed facts and proposed outcome said Podger had previously accepted a caution in 2014 for possession of cocaine, in what he described as a ‘one off, and uncharacteristic lapse of judgement’. In that instance, he had promptly self-reported.
However, he repeated the offence and on the second caution, the former associate accepted he had ‘failed to show moral soundness, rectitude and a steady adherence to an ethical code’ and had undermined public trust.
Significant Stress
In mitigation, Podger said he had been undergoing ‘significant stress’ and marital problems, and had been working very long hours. ‘He felt in order to try to maintain his livelihood and save his marriage, he had no choice but to keep secret what had happened.’
The tribunal ordered Podger to be suspended from practice for one year to commence on 24 June 2020 and it ordered him to pay costs of £1,809.
Upon the expiry of the term of suspension, Podger may not act as a compliance officer for legal practice, a compliance officer for finance and administration, or a money laundering reporting officer.
Matthew Podger, who worked for top commercial law firms in London, tried to cover up his second police caution for possession — only to be exposed by an anonymous letter to HR.
He has now accepted a one-year suspension as part of a settlement with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and costs of £1,809, as well as a ban on working as a law firm compliance officer.
Signing off on the settlement, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal commented that “neither the protection of the public nor the protection of the reputation of the legal profession justified striking the Respondent off the Roll”.