Ex-Withers staffer banned over Companies House filing cover-up

A former Withers employee has been barred from working in the legal sector after admitting to lying about a missed client filing and falsifying documents.

The SRA has issued Ross Wenman with a Section 43 order, preventing him from working at any law firm without prior approval from the regulator.

Wenman worked as a senior company secretarial assistant between May 2021 and December 2024.

Missed deadline and cover-up

The misconduct centred on a missed Companies House filing deadline for a client’s accounts, which were due by 30 September 2024.

After the client received overdue notices and queried them with the firm, Wenman initially told the firm the documents had been delivered on 1 October and provided proof of delivery to support that timeline.

He later admitted the accounts had in fact been posted nearly a month later, on 28 October, and that he had altered the proof of delivery documents to conceal the delay.

The SRA found that Wenman had misled the firm and described his conduct as dishonest.

Regulatory action

Under the Section 43 order, Wenman cannot be employed by a law firm or related business without the SRA’s prior permission.

The regulator said his actions made it undesirable for him to be involved in legal practice, particularly given his experience and the expectation that he should not mislead colleagues on client matters.

Wenman admitted the misconduct, expressed remorse and co-operated with the investigation. He has also been ordered to pay £600 in costs.