Rajeeve
Sivapathasunderam
Employee
7172669
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)
Outcome date: 19 January 2025
Published date: 29 January 2025
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Estate and Corporate Solicitors Ltd
Address(es): 57 Hythe Street, Dartford, DA1 1BG
Firm ID: 572235
Firm or organisation at date of publication
Name: TTS Legal Ltd
Address(es): 1-4 The Parade, Monarch Way, Ilford, IG2 7HT
Firm ID: 624306
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Who does this decision relate to?
Rajeeve Sivapathasunderam who is not a solicitor, was employed by Estate and Corporate Solicitors Limited whose head office is at 57 Hythe Street Dartford Kent DA1 1BG between 1 April 2019 and 29 July 2023 and is currently employed by TTS Legal Limited.
Summary of decision:
The SRA has disqualified Rajeeve Sivapathasunderam from holding any of the following roles in law firms regulated by the SRA:
- Head of Legal Practice
- Head of Finance and Administration
- A manager
- An employee
The facts of the case
Between August 2022 and January 2023, Mr Sivapathasunderam acted for a client ('AT') in relation to injunctive and declaratory proceedings that had been brought by the occupier of a property owned by that client ('RR').
It was found that Mr Sivapathasunderam failed to:
- notify the court that the firm for which he was then working was on record as acting for AT in the matter of RR v AT;
- adequately advise AT about the injunction made by the court on 30 September 2022 and the implications of it;
- satisfy himself as to the ongoing status of the injunction so he could adequately advise AT; and
- adequately advise AT about the consequences of instructing bailiffs to enter the property.
Our decision on sanction
Mr Sivapathasunderam's conduct breached relevant duties that applied to him as an employee of the firm, namely, Principles 2 and 7 of the SRA Principles 2019.
It was found that it would be undesirable for Mr Sivapathasunderam to act as a Head of Legal Practice, Head of Finance and Administration, a manager or an employee of a body licensed in accordance with section 99 of the Legal Services Act 2007.
Mr Sivapathasunderam was disqualified from holding any of these roles. He was also directed to pay costs of £3,600.
Other information
The Adjudicator has decided that the section 99 disqualification shall have effect from the date of the communication notifying Mr Sivapathasunderam of this decision (20 January 2025) because they were satisfied that it is in the public interest for this order to have immediate effect because of the seriousness of his misconduct.