(unnamed respondent)

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

Alan Conroy, a solicitor, appealed under s42ZA(9) of the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 against the Law Society PCSC's finding of unsatisfactory professional conduct (censure, £1,200 fine, £5,000 compensation) arising from a complaint that he failed to carry out proper identity checks when an identity fraudster, posing as the property owner, instructed him to sell the complainer's house. The PCSC had wrongly identified the purchasing company as a building society and made other findings unsupported by or contradictory of the evidence. Applying Hood, Petitioner, the Tribunal found the encounter was a normal conveyancing transaction, the 'red flags' were not troubling to a competent solicitor, and the Appellant had himself been deceived by the fraudster. The Tribunal quashed the determination, censure, fine and compensation, finding no unsatisfactory professional conduct. No expenses were awarded; the decision was published naming all parties.