Alerts

Warning: Correspondence misusing the name and details of Cook Taylor Woodhouse Limited and Karen Dawn Shimmen

3 March 2026

Correspondence has been sent misusing the name and details of Cook Taylor Woodhouse Limited and Karen Dawn Shimmen regarding a notice of a change of a business address.

What is the scam?

The SRA has seen a letter that misuses the name and details of a genuine firm of solicitors, and a genuine solicitor (see details below).

The letter is addressed to 'To Whom it May Concern' and purports to serve notice as an official record of a change of business address.

The letter misuses the genuine name, SRA ID, address, website and telephone number of a genuine firm of solicitors.

The letter also includes a bogus email address 'shimmen@ctwsolicitors.co.uk'.

Any business or transaction through the email address mentioned above is not undertaken by a firm or solicitor authorised and regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Cook Taylor Woodhouse Limited (SRA ID 606304). The genuine address of the firm's head office is 68/70 High Street, Eltham, London, SE9 1BZ, and its genuine telephone number is 020885 90936. The genuine website of the firm is 'https://ctwsolicitors.co.uk', and the genuine email is 'dartford@ctwsolicitors.co.uk'.

The SRA ID number 613539 is included in the above letter, and is the ID number for the genuine firm's Maidstone branch office.

The SRA also authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Karen Dawn Shimmen who is employed as a solicitor at the genuine firm Cook Taylor Woodhouse Limited. Her genuine email address is kshimmen@ctwsolicitors.co.uk  

The genuine firm and solicitor have confirmed they do not have any connection to the correspondence referred to in the above alert.

What should I do?

When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.