Law Society-v-Quinton Muir

By Video Conference, 26 January 2021.  The Tribunal having considered the Complaint dated 18 June 2020 at the instance of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland against Quinton Muir, D&J Dunlop, 2 Barns Street, Ayr; Find the Respondent guilty of professional misconduct singly in respect that (i) in delaying and acting upon the Secondary Complainer’s instruction to raise and proceed with a divorce action within the period October 2013 to October 2017, the Respondent failed in his obligation to proceed with the instruction within a reasonable time; (ii) in failing to communicate with the Secondary Complainer in the period January 2015 to February 2017, the Respondent failed to communicate effectively with her; in cumulo in respect that (i) in failing to instruct Sheriff Officers/tracing agents to attempt to trace the husband in 2014 and thereafter the Respondent failed to act in the best interests of the Secondary Complainer; (ii) in failing to advise the Secondary Complainer the instance had fallen in October 2014 and he could not serve the action, the Respondent failed to act in her best interests; and (iii) in failing to serve the divorce action by exhibition on the walls of court and allowing the instance to fall, the Respondent failed to act in the best interests of the Secondary Complainer;  Censure the Respondent; Fine him in the sum of £10,000 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 but need not identify any other person.

Ben Kemp

Vice Chair