Law Society-v-Steven Angus Anderson

Edinburgh 6 September 2013.  The Tribunal having considered the Complaint  at the instance of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland against Steven Angus Anderson, Solicitor, formerly of Messrs Andersons, Solicitors & Notaries, 2 Hillkirk Street Lane, Springburn, Glasgow and residing at 7 Duthiepark Place, Glasgow; Find the Respondent Guilty of professional misconduct in respect of his failure to respond to correspondence from another solicitor, his failure to implement a mandate, his failure to respond to correspondence from and statutory notices served upon him by the Complainers; his obtaining or attempting to obtain payment from the Scottish Legal Aid Board by persistent breaches of the Legal Aid Regulations, Code of Conduct and Relative Guidance and Otherwise and in particular: (i) by making multiple and / or repetitive grants of legal advice and assistance; (ii) by charging or attempting to charge the Scottish Legal Aid Board other than for work actually and necessarily done; (iii) by holding unnecessary meetings with clients which inflated fees; (iv) by acting or accepting instructions to act unprofessionally, giving inappropriate advice and doing work under the Legal Advice and Assistance Scheme where the value of the subject matter rendered it inappropriate to do so having regard to the terms of Regulation 17(1) of the Legal Advice and Assistance (Scotland) Regulations 1996, or where the client claimed to have means that placed him beyond the scope of the Advice and Assistance Scheme; (v) by granting legal advice and assistance to persons already in receipt of Legal Aid for the relevant subject matter contrary to the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1996 Section 7(2); and (vi) by submitting accounts twice in respect of single pieces of work; Order that the name of the Respondent be struck off the Roll of Solicitors in Scotland; 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, restricted by 50% for all procedure prior to 10 July 2013 and unrestricted thereafter; and Direct that publicity will be given to this decision and that this publicity should include the name of the Respondent.

Alistair Cockburn

  Chairman