A KNUTSFORD barrister who claimed to be a ‘high flyer’ conducted his affairs from a hotel bar, a tribunal heard.
Darren Cox, who lives in Mere Court, was non-practising and was not attached to a chambers but it is alleged he ‘conned’ a businessman into believing he could represent him.
Cox would ‘sit in the corner with his law books’ at The Swan Hotel at Bucklow Hill, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) was told.
He allegedly took £1,000 in fees from John Maynard, who was in dispute with a firm over the purchase of a boat, and even went before a judge at Teeside County Court.
Mr Maynard’s case was eventually kicked out of court because Cox had failed to pay two administration fees, it was said.
Cox had passed Mr Maynard, from Stockton-on-Tees, a piece of paper describing himself as a specialist in company law, compliance, construction and employment law.
He had been called to the bar in July 2000, but was working as a company secretary for a construction firm based in Bury, Lancashire.
Steven Walker, for the BSB, said Cox had ‘not completed a pupilage and not had a practising certificate at any time’.
The hearing was told the two men had befriended each other in July 2008 when management consultant Mr Maynard stayed regularly at hotel on business trips.
In July 2008 Cox told Mr Maynard he could help him and took on his case. He sent e-mails, letters and drafted legal documents working from his home in Knutsford or the The Swan.
On one document Mr Maynard noticed Cox described himself as a ‘non-practising barrister’, but when he raised it with him Cox dismissed it.
Mr Maynard told the hearing: “‘I understood he was a fully-fledged barrister.
“When I saw ‘non-practising’ I challenged him. He came out with a story that he could do everything a normal barrister could do, but because he wasn’t in chambers he put non-practising.
“I trusted him implicitly and we were starting to become friendly.”
Mr Maynard, who subsequently made a complaint to the BSB, said he had given evidence at the hearing to stop Cox ‘taking people for a ride’.
Cox denies three counts of professional misconduct in that he; held himself as a barrister and offered legal services and/or conducted litigation; engaged in conduct that was dishonest and/or discreditable to a barrister and/or likely to bring the legal profession in to disrepute; and that he engaged in conduct which was prejudicial to the administration of justice.
He has admitted one count of professional misconduct in that he failed to respond to the BSB following Mr Maynard’s complaint.
The hearing, being held in central London, ran out of time and was adjourned until May 24 when Cox will give evidence.
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