A SOLICITOR is being questioned by the legal profession’s watchdog as part of an investigation into a huge fraud allegedly involving one of Britain’s biggest property-law firms.

The man was a partner at a firm that was absorbed by DLA Piper, which now describes itself as the UK’s fifth-largest legal-services firm.

DLA Piper is not accused of fraud. The inquiry, revealed by The Sunday Times in January, is against predecessor firms DLA, Dibb Lupton Alsop and Alsop Wilkinson. A claim for nearly £30m, including interest, has been brought by Hampton Trust, now controlled by funds run by JO Hambro Capital Management.

Hampton alleges that in 1996 and 1997 the solicitors “in fraudulent breach of trust” took more than £5m of Hampton’s money from their client account and paid it to a firm controlled by Hampton’s then directors. Other allegations include a claim that Hampton’s money was used to pay for a holiday home in Florida for a man then associated with the company.

An individual solicitor is the focus of most of the allegations. Documents show that he is being investigated by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors. It has also been established that he has voluntarily given up his practising certificate, which all working solicitors require.

Hampton is expected to submit a further claim against DLA and its predecessor firms, with the total money sought being far higher than the £30m already stipulated.

The claim lodged in January covers no more than 10 matters in which DLA acted for Hampton.

Hampton is demanding to inspect paperwork on all work - some 300 jobs - done for the company by DLA.

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