Michael Brocklebank

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

The Respondent, a sole practitioner running a low-cost volume conveyancing practice, was found to have committed serious breaches of the Solicitors Accounts Rules, including a client account shortage of £169,673.99 caused by overpayments and over-transfers, using other clients' money to complete transactions, failing to keep proper accounts, and failing to register titles after completion. The Law Society intervened in October 2002. No dishonesty was alleged or found, but the Tribunal found a wholesale failure to manage his accounts and that he had fallen very far short of the standards expected. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £6,791.54.

Duties found breached:

• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Supervise staff and delegated work
• No improper solicitation or touting

Aggravating factors:

• Client account shortage of £169,673.99 not rectified
• Used other clients' money to complete transactions
• Failure to renew 94A searches compromised mortgagees' security and mortgagees were not informed
• Limited supervision of staff with the office manager effectively running the firm
• No previous experience of volume conveyancing yet took on increasing volumes

Mitigating factors:

• Respondent admitted/did not contest the allegations
• Health had declined coinciding with the increase in conveyancing work
• Took some steps to rectify client balance shortages and bring registrations up to date
• Impecunious circumstances (on income support, unemployed)