Law Society-v-Leslie Wilson Somerville
Interlocutor
Edinburgh 19 March 2013. The Tribunal having considered the Complaint dated 3 December 2012 at the instance of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland against Leslie Wilson Somerville, Solicitor, Messrs Somerville & Co., Suite 17 Stirling Business Centre, Wellgreen, Stirling; Find the Respondent guilty of Professional Misconduct in respect of his acting in a conflict of interest situation by entering into negotiations with a client for the purchase of a property when he was instructed in the sale of the property and when he was privy to detailed financial information about his client’s financial problems which could objectively be seen as seeking to make financial gain out of his client’s misfortune; Censure the Respondent; Fine him in the sum of £5,000 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.
Kirsteen Keyden
Vice Chairman