A trainee solicitor struck off after reporting her bosses for overcharging clients by up to 2,000 per cent has warned how the legal industry does “precious little” to protect whistleblowers.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal last month removed Emily Scott, 31, from the register of lawyers despite finding she had been “deceived, pressured, bullied and manipulated” by a senior partner into covering up misconduct at De Vita Platt.

Although the panel said it had “sympathy” for the “very junior” trainee who “had blown the whistle” on the North Lincolnshire company accused of overcharging, falsifying records and taking clients’ funds without their knowledge, it still charged her £2,000 costs and struck her off for dishonesty.

They even accepted she had been in a “difficult position”, would not have behaved immorally unless coerced and in no way benefited financially from the malpractice.

The solicitors, based in Barton-Upon-Humber, has been shut down, and its bosses, qualified lawyers Jonathan De Vita and Christopher Platt, have been struck off for dishonesty.

Last night, Miss Scott said she felt “terribly let down” by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the prosecuting body, and the tribunal for failing to protect her, despite her being the only person to report the misconduct.