Exclusive: Ex-Ince & Co partner sets up firm after release from prison

An ex-Ince & Co partner who stole millions of pounds from clients has set up a new firm after being released from prison.

Andrew Iyer has launched IYLegal, which according to its website provides "first class legal expertise and experience" and "award-winning service". It features glowing testimonials from The Legal 500 ("Iyer continues to glean high praise from clients") and Chambers ("He is the whole package!") and describes Iyer as "a leading Commercial Lawyer".

What is not mentioned is that Iyer was struck off and sentenced to four years and eight months in prison in 2013 for defrauding Ince & Co and its clients of £3 million. It was also revealed during Iyer's trial that he tried to secure an OBE by pretending to be a cancer specialist. Writing as the fictional 'Elizabeth Herring', Iyer lied to the Cabinet Office that he had raised £1.8 million for charity. RollOnFriday discovered that he'd also been using Herring (and "Robert Harris, Book Reviewer - The Guardian") to give his own book rave reviews on Amazon.

A reformed Iyer yesterday

Buried on Iyer's website is a note that, despite appearances, IYLegal is not a firm of solicitors (nor regulated by the SRA) and the quotes and reference to awards date back to Iyer's career "while he was practising as a solicitor". Which does sound better than "before he went to prison and was struck off", although anyone using a Microsoft product to write about the business is given a subliminal clue:

That's...unfortunate

A source told RollOnFriday that Iyer has been asking ex-clients to give him their business: "a pretty bold move for a fraudster". However, Iyer said that it was actually ex-clients who stayed in touch who gave him the idea to re-enter the legal market.

Iyer told RollOnFriday, "I acknowledge and deeply regret my wrongdoings of the past. I was a fool and I deserved everything I got". But, "in prison I threw myself into the rehabilitation programme and now I’m just trying to rebuild my life”. Iyer said, “whether this venture works or fails we’ll have to see. I’m trying to offer an affordable service and a very flexible approach to legal cost to benefit clients, by keeping fees low; something which I am told City law firms don’t always manage to do”.

Tip Off ROF

Comments

Hmmmm.... torn here. On the one hand, if he has rehabilitated, and served his sentence, then good luck to him. On the other hand, one has doubts.

well I guess they don't when they're trying to fill the hole in the accounts BECAUSE OF YOUR FCKING LIGHT FINGERS :-)

If the note on the website about not being a practising solicitor now really are buried then the Legal 500 references might give a different impression which might be misleading.

Unless he is currently doing something illegal, and you have proof, leave the guy alone, will you? What happened to rehabilitation? And this from a website focused on the legal profession, and presumably supportive of the rule of law? Cheap.

"Unless he is currently doing something illegal, and you have proof, leave the guy alone, will you? What happened to rehabilitation? And this from a website focused on the legal profession, and presumably supportive of the rule of law? Cheap."

Sorry Andrew.

Problem is that a good lawyer needs both ability and integrity and the latter is hard to establish and so easily lost. I wish anyone all the best when making genuine efforts after rehablitation but it is a brave client who will entrust money now, unless there is some way of utilising his clear legal ability whilst safeguarding the money by a control working independently
Perhaps the answer lies in such independent oversight?
P

If it had been a momentary lapse of judgement then rehabilitation may ring with some plausibility but this guy seems to have lied about everything over many many years his book, his charity work, OBE not forgetting stealing from clients and his firm - it all smacks of a profound character defect - it will take a colossal leap of faith for any blue chip client to place any faith in him - there are individuals however who may appreciate his unconventional approach to practicing law - he may well do quite well.