Law Society-v-William Michael Lewis
Interlocutor
Edinburgh 14th June 2007. The Tribunal having considered the Complaints dated 28th and 29th March 2007 at the instance of the Council of the Law Society of Scotland against William Michael Lewis, Solicitor, 1 Hope Park Terrace, Edinburgh; Find the Respondent guilty of Professional Misconduct in respect of his failure to comply with his obligation in terms of the Solicitors (Scotland) (Continuing Professional Development) Regulations 1993 by failing to submit a record for the practice years 2000/2001 and 2003/2004 and his failure to reply to correspondence sent to him by the Law Society in connection with his failure to comply with his obligations in terms of the regulations, his failure to reply to the reasonable enquiries of the Law Society in respect of three clients and his failure to return a substantial number of telephone calls made to him by one client; Censure the Respondent; Fine him in the sum of £2500 to be forfeit to Her Majesty; Direct in terms of Section 53(5) of the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 that any practising certificate held or to be issued to the Respondent shall be subject to such restriction as will limit him to acting as a qualified assistant to and to being supervised by such employer or successive employers as may be approved by the Council of the Law Society of Scotland or the Practising Certificate Committee of the Law Society of Scotland and that for an aggregate period of at least three years from 1st September 2007 and thereafter until such time as he satisfies the Tribunal that he is fit to hold a full practising certificate; Find the Respondent liable in the expenses of the Complainers and in the expenses of the Tribunal as the same may be taxed by the auditor of the Court of Session on an agent and client indemnity basis in terms of Chapter Three 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.
Alistair M Cockburn
Chairman