The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) reached a settlement with Mr Grosso, partner at Dublin-based Grosso & Maldonado Solicitors, in late February and has now published the agreement.

Mr Grosso qualified as a solicitor in Ireland in 2004 and is also admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales and as an avvocato in Italy.

He was instructed in September 2015, via the Irish firm, to make a negligence claim against a firm of solicitors in England and Wales.

However, at the time he commenced proceedings, Mr Grosso did not have a current practising certificate to practise as a solicitor in England and Wales.

The firm’s website stated that Grosso & Maldonado “is a Solicitors’ firm regulated by the Law Society of England & Wales”, which was not true.

Mr Grosso continued to act in the litigation, including serving the particulars of claim and preparing witness statements, which led the defendant to raise concerns with the SRA that Mr Grosso was carrying out reserved legal activities otherwise than through an authorised firm.

He subsequently took steps to regularise his position and was granted a practising certificate in March 2016 and obtained authorisation for his firm in June 2017.

In mitigation, the SRA accepted that Mr Grosso’s breaches “were caused by his failure to consider properly the rules before acting in the High Court matter”, that he had apologised, that he took steps to regularise his position, and that he co-operated with the SRA investigation.

He was rebuked by the SRA, fined £2,000 and has been ordered to pay the costs of the SRA’s investigation in the sum of £600.