Law Society-v-Paul Thompson
Interlocutor
Edinburgh 8 January 2016. The Tribunal having considered the Complaints at the instance of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland dated 28 August 2014 and 9 September 2015 against Paul Thompson, Solicitor, formerly of 45 Skelmorlie Castle Road, Skelmorlie, then of 1 Mavis Bank Gardens, Govan, Glasgow and presently of 2 Wilmar, Eglington Terrace, Skelmorlie; Find the Respondent guilty of professional misconduct in respect that (a) between 4 February 2011 and 28 October 2013 he repeatedly failed to cooperate with the Law Society in the exercise of their regulatory functions and in particular he failed to respond to communications, to provide accounts certificates on time or at all, and to produce accounting records and information to ensure an adequate standard of record keeping and demonstrate the financial position of the firm; (b) between 20 January and 8 May 2014 he repeatedly failed to reply to the reasonable enquiries of the Law Society in their investigation of his failure to respond to the financial compliance team and to comply with notices served upon him; and (c) between 9 July 2014 and 26 January 2015 he repeatedly failed to cooperate with the Law Society in the exercise of their regulatory functions and in particular he failed to respond to letters in connection with the complaint of a client, or to comply with notices served upon him; Suspend the Respondent from practice for a period of two years; 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 and may but has no need to include the names of anyone other than the Respondent.
Nicholas Whyte
Vice Chairman