The Gazette 1992

GAZETTE

DECEMBER 1992

Annual Report of the Discipl inary Commi t tee

T h e Disciplinary C omm i t t ee met on 29 occasions between 1 September, 1991 a nd 31 August, 1992. T h e following a p p l i c a t i o ns were considered by the C omm i t t ee d u r i ng this period:-

Subject Matter of Complaints

Main Grounds on which the Committee found Misconduct

• Civil C l a ims

• Allowing a deficit to arise on client a c c o u n t.

• Conveyancing

• P r o b a te

• Mi s a p p r o p r i a t i on of clients' mo n i es a n d utilising t h em for solicitor's own b e n e f i t. • False a nd inaccurate entries m a d e in the b o o ks of a c c o u nt in order to conceal the deficit arising f r om the m i s a p p r o p r i a t i on of clients' f u n d s. • Deliberately misleading a nd ma k i ng false representations to the Society's investigating a c c o u n t a nt in order to conceal the m i s a p p r o p r i a t i on of f u n d s.

• Solicitors' Ac c o u n ts Regulations

52

New Applications

Law Society

32

P r i ma facie cases f o u nd P r i ma facie case n ot f o u nd P o s t p o n ed u n d er Section 7 (4) b e f o re inquiry directed.

1

2

Private

P r i ma facie case f o u nd P r i ma facie case n ot f o u nd

5

12

• Allowing a debit b a l a n ce to arise on client a c c o u n t.

37

At Hearing

• Failing to ma i n t a in p r o p er b o o ks of a c c o u n t.

Law Society

14 16

Mi s c o n d u ct A d j o u r n ed

• Failing to c omp ly with the provisions of Regulation 3 of the Solicitors Ac c o u n ts Regulations (No. 2) 1984 (S.I. 304 of 1984.) • P r o p er b o o ks of a c c o u nt were not written u p at all times as required u n d er the provisions of p a r a g r a ph 10 of the Solicitors Ac c o u n ts Regulations (No. 2) 1984. • Failing to f u r n i sh an a c c o u n t a n t 's report as required u n d er the Solicitors Ac c o u n ts Regulations. • Wi t h d r aw i ng f r om client a c c o u nt mo n i es o t h er t h an mo n i es p e rmi t t ed by Regulation 7 of the Solicitors Ac c o u n ts Regulations (No. 2) 1984; • Failing to c omp ly with Regulation 10 (3) of the Solicitors Ac c o u n ts Regulations in c o n n e c t i on with p r e p a r i ng the b a l a n c i ng a nd reconciliation s t a t eme n ts relating to a client a c c o u n t. 397

A d j o u r n ed generally

1 1

Dismissed w i t h o ut p r e j u d i ce

Private

4

A d j o u r n ed

1

N o m i s c o n d u ct

15

Applications From Previous Year

Law Society

10

Mi s c o n d u ct

N o m i s c o n d u ct

1

F u r t h er i nqu i ry held wh en case was remitted by t he P r e s i d e nt of t he H i gh C o u r t

1

2

A d j o u r n ed

Private

1

Mi s c o n d u ct