A Dundee solicitor has been fined £10,000 at a tribunal for “serious and reprehensible” misconduct.
Alan Baillie, of Baillie’s Law Ltd, was found by the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal to have breached legal obligations in 10 property transactions.
Baillie, who owns the Union Street practice and has been a lawyer for 30 years, was handed the maximum possible fine over a series of breaches after admitting misconduct.
He was found to have failed to communicate effectively with clients and misled lender clients, as well as acting in conflict or potential conflict of interest situations.
The tribunal case, which started in January, related to transactions between June and September 2010.
The transactions involved were for hundreds of thousands of pounds, and breaches of protocol were picked up by a Law Society inspection.
Baillie’s lawyer argued that his client’s behaviour had been “sloppy, naive and inexperienced”, and that there was a lack of details in the firm’s files because the recession had meant his secretarial cover was at the minimum level.
Malcolm McPherson, vice-chairman of the tribunal, said: “It was quite clear to the tribunal that the respondent’s conduct was sufficiently serious and reprehensible so as to amount to professional misconduct.
“The tribunal seriously considered imposing a restriction on the respondent’s practising certificate in order to ensure protection of the public should anything similar arise in the future.
“Given the number of transactions and number of breaches of duty involved, however, the tribunal considered it necessary to impose the maximum fine in addition to a censure to show the seriousness with which the tribunal views the respondent’s conduct.”
The tribunal heard that a 2012 Law Society inspection found no concerns with Baillie’s firm, while Baillie was held in high regard by senior solicitors in Dundee.
He was also thought to have shown insight into the situation by pleading guilty to professional misconduct.