Law Society-v-Deryck De Maine Beaumont
Interlocutor
Edinburgh 28th September 2005. The Tribunal having considered the Complaints dated 25th April 2005 and 8th June 2005 at the instance of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland against Deryck De Maine Beaumont, Solicitor, Balnagard, Pitlochry; Find the Respondent guilty of Professional Misconduct in respect of his failure to timeously settle the business account of a Reporter whom he had instructed to carry out work on behalf of his client and his failure to reply to correspondence from the Reporter concerning the payment of her business account; Find the Respondent not guilty of professional misconduct in respect of his failure to settle the sum of £616.88 due by him to FSL; Censure the Respondent and Direct in terms of Section 53(5) of the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 that for a period of three years with effect from 31st March 2006, any practising certificate held or issued to the Respondent shall be subject to such restriction as will limit him to acting as a qualified assistant to such employer as may be approved by the Council or the Practising Certificate Committee of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland; Find the Respondent liable in 50% of the expenses of the Complainers and of the Tribunal as the same may be taxed by the auditor of the Court of Session on a solicitor and client indemnity basis in terms of the last published Law Society’s Table of Fees for general business with a unit rate of £11.85; and Direct that publicity will be given to this decision and that this publicity should include the name of the Respondent.
Malcolm McPherson
Chairman