A man lied on his CV to obtain a position as a paralegal at a solicitors.

Jacob McSherry said he had several years of experience with Russell & Russell, a firm with its HQ in Bolton, to obtain a position as a paralegal at Slater and Heelis, a firm with its HQ in Sale, and he supplied a reference at the same time.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) said Mr McSherry remained in the role for six months around two years ago.

However he had no experience with Russell & Russell, the SRA said, and the reference was not from anyone at the firm.

To make matters worse, while at Slater Heelis, Mr McSherry signed a statutory declaraction when he had no right to do so and sent a letter in which he described himself as a solicitor rather than a paralegal.

He now has a raft of restrictions against him after the conclusion of an investigation by the SRA on March 30, the outcome of which was published on July 6. 

The ruling reads: "To obtain his position as a paralegal Mr McSherry submitted through an agency a CV which stated (amongst other things) he had had years of experience working in a firm called Russell & Russell Solicitors. 

"He supplied a reference purportedly from Russell & Russell Solicitors. Mr McSherry had never been employed at Russell & Russell Solicitors and the reference had not been supplied by anyone there.

"Mr McSherry witnessed and signed a statutory declaration in which he held himself out to be a Commissioner for Oaths and/or an Officer of the Court appointed by a Judge and/or a Justice of the Peace. 

"Mr McSherry held none of the positions the declaration stated he held, and he had not been authorised to make the declaration by anyone at Slater Heelis. Mr McSherry sent a letter by email on a private business matter in which he described himself as a solicitor when he was not one."

Mr McSherry was ordered to cover the cost of the investigation by the SRA to the tune of £600.

Both Russell & Russell and Slater Heelis declined to comment on the case of Mr McSherry. 

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.