A Dundee lawyer who left his client with “years of stress” has been ordered to pay £4,000 in compensation.
Alan Baillie, 66, has been ordered to pay former client Lorraine Ludman the sum after being found to have had a conflict of interest during a land ownership dispute in Argyll.
Earlier this year, he was banned from the profession by the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal (SSDT) for misconduct.
It came after it was found Baillie had acted in the interests of both Ms Ludman and brothers Andrew and Graeme McIlvride over the conveying of land in Argyll.
Following that case, Ms Ludman sought compensation from Baillie.
During the latest hearing, Ms Ludman claimed the saga had left her with “stress and anxiety”.
She claimed the court case was “the worst thing that had ever happened to her”.
Dundee lawyer’s client ‘suffered mentally’ as a result of misconduct
Ms Ludman claimed Baillie was obtuse in his answers and that the court case caused her “immeasurable” stress.
A secondary witness also gave evidence and said Ms Ludman became “increasingly withdrawn over time” and struggled to find enjoyment in life during the ordeal.
Baillie’s representative accepted the decision to award compensation but felt the case was serious enough to warrant only £1,500.
A report into the hearing said: “The tribunal was persuaded by the evidence of the secondary complainer (Ms Ludman) that she had suffered mentally as a result of the respondent’s misconduct.
“The secondary complainer’s court case against her former partner arose partly as a result of the respondent’s actions and omissions.
“The tribunal appreciated that this was a stressful situation for the secondary complainer.
“It caused disruption to her daily life and took time to resolve. She was unable to get any closure.”
The SSDT awarded Ms Ludman £4,000.
Woman ‘happy’ with outcome but suffered ‘years of stress’
In a statement to The Courier, Ms Ludman said: “I am very happy with the outcome of my complaint, though the monetary amount I received cannot reasonably compensate for the years of stress and difficulty that Mr Baillie’s conduct has caused me.
“I hope that this will serve as an example for other solicitors out there who choose to take advantage of their clients.
“I commend the SSDT for their diligent actions in holding lawyers accountable for their misconduct.”
Baillie worked for several firms during a career spanning more than 40 years but says he has now retired.
He was previously fined £10,000 at a tribunal in 2014 for “serious and reprehensible” misconduct when he was found to have breached legal obligations in 10 property transactions.
Baillie declined to comment when approached by The Courier.
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