Law Society-v-Desmond William Donoghue

By Video Conference, 23 February 2022.  The Tribunal having considered the Complaint dated 24 August 2021 at the instance of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland against Desmond William Donoghue, 1F2, 408 Morningside Road, Edinburgh; Find the Respondent guilty of professional misconduct in respect that he (a) as designated cashroom manager, failed to disburse a client’s balances held by his firm when there was no longer any reason to retain them; and (b) failed to respond to correspondence and statutory notices received from the Council in respect of its regulatory function, impeding the Council in its statutory obligation to investigate complaints;  Censure the Respondent; 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

  Chair