Law Society-v-Ian Smith Watson
Interlocutor
Edinburgh 4 September 2018. The Tribunal having considered the Complaint dated 22 May 2018 at the instance of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland against Ian Smith Watson, Blue House, 2 Lowther Terrace, Glasgow; Find the Respondent guilty of professional misconduct individually and in cumulo in respect that he (a) wrongly withheld from the Secondary Complainer the sum of £4,993.75 received in December 2011 until July 2017, (b) failed to account to the Secondary Complainer for all sums paid to him by her and for all sums paid out by him on her behalf, (c) failed to communicate to the Secondary Complainer the basis for the deduction by the Respondent of the sum of £3,793.75 from the recovered judicial expenses due to be paid to the Secondary Complainer; and (d) failed to retain a client ledger for the Secondary Complainer; Censure the Respondent; Fine him in the sum of £2,000 to be forfeit to Her Majesty; 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 identify any other person.
Colin Bell
Vice Chairman