Aspiring solicitor barred after accessing case study and model answers before Macfarlanes assessment day

Worked as a paralegal at City firm

A former paralegal at City law firm Macfarlanes has been barred from working in the legal profession after it emerged that she accessed confidential information related to the firm’s training contract assessment day in an attempt to gain an unfair advantage over other candidates.

A decision published today by the solicitors’ regulator reveals that Elena Jalali “repeatedly accessed” sensitive materials, including a business case study exercise, model answers and the mark scheme, ahead of the assessment day in August 2023.

According to the regulator, Jalali used this information to secure an unfair advantage during the assessment.

Macfarlanes launched an internal investigation on 17 August 2023, during which Jalali denied having accessed the confidential materials when she knew she had done so repeatedly.

The former paralegal is now subject to a section 43 order, which prevents her from working at any SRA-regulated law firm without prior approval from the regulator.

The SRA said: “Jalali’s conduct was serious because it demonstrated a lack of integrity and a breach of the trust placed in her by her then employers. Her conduct was also dishonest and such behaviour risks affecting public trust and confidence in the profession.”

She was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA’s costs of £600.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2025 shows Macfarlanes offers around 33 training contracts each year on starting salary of £56,000. This rises to £61,000 in year two and jumps to £140,000 upon qualification.

Macfarlanes has been approached for comment.