Law Society-v-Deepak Bali
Interlocutor
Edinburgh 13 December 2017. The Tribunal having considered the Complaint at the instance of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland against Deepak Bali, a sole practitioner formerly carrying on business as DRB Solicitors, 25/27 Warroch Street, Warroch Business Centre, Glasgow and now of Moorfoot Investments, 25/27 Warroch Street, Warroch Business Centre, Glasgow; Find the Respondent guilty of professional misconduct in cumulo in respect that (a) He failed to keep properly written up accounting records or to hold and maintain such adequate records to show the true financial of DRB in breach of Rules B6.7.1 and B6.7.2 to B6.7.4 of the Law Society of Scotland’s Practice Rules 2011, despite similar issues having been raised at prior inspections in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014, (b) He failed to retain for the requisite retention period all accounting records and in particular failed to provide, at the inspection and thereafter, until 5 May 2015, sight of the specific accounting records required in compliance with the Rules despite correspondence of 13 March, 1 April, 20 April and 5 May all 2015 in breach of Rule B6.7.4 and B6.7.5 of the Law Society of Scotland’s Practice Rules 2011, despite similar issues having been raised at prior inspections in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 and (c) In light of the Rule breaches and the nature of them he failed to properly attend to his cash room manager responsibilities in breach of Rule B6.13 of the Law Society of Scotland’s Practice Rules 2011 despite similar issues having been raised at prior inspections in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014; Censure the Respondent; Find the Respondent liable in the expenses of the Complainers and of the Tribunal including expenses of the Clerk, chargeable on a time and line basis as the same may be taxed by the Auditor of the Court of Session on an agent and client, client paying basis in terms of Chapter Three of the last published Law Society’s Table of Fees for general business with a unit rate of £14.00; and Direct that publicity will be given to this decision and that this publicity should include the name of the Respondent but need not name any other person.
Nicholas Whyte
Chairman