JK Rowling's lawyer fined £1,000

The solicitor whose breach of confidentiality over client JK Rowling led to her being outed as the author of a crime story has been fined £1,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

J K Rowling: wanted to stay anonymous Featureflash

JK Rowling had not wanted her identity to be revealed as the author of 'The Cuckoo's Calling' so she used the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. However, Christopher Gossage of Russells solicitors told his wife's best friend who had actually written the book. The friend then tweeted the news which was quickly picked up in the media. JK Rowling sued both Mr Gossage and the friend. She received costs and an apology and Russells paid damages to a charity she nominated. The SRA explained its decision by saying: 'By disclosing confidential information about a client to a third party Mr Gossage has breached Principles 4 and 6 of the SRA Principles 2011 and failed to achieve outcome 4.1 of the SRA Code of Conduct 2011'. Source: The Guardian

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