Martine Germaine Bisiaux

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

The Law Society alleged the Respondent, cashroom partner at volume conveyancing firm Conveyancing Direct, breached Rule B6.11.1 (failing/delaying to return client credit balances) and Rule B6.13.2 (failing to acquire/maintain cashroom manager skills). Inspections in 2019 found historic client credit balances; by 2021 there were 690 client balances, mostly credits, with over £40,000 still unhomed after intervention. Although the parties lodged a Joint Minute in which the Respondent purported to admit professional misconduct and agreed the facts, the Fiscal insisted the Part A averments of misconduct were not agreed. The Tribunal found significant contradictions in the Complainers' case, little evidence that funds were inappropriately held given the high-volume conveyancing business, and no information to assess the standard of conduct. The Tribunal found the Respondent Not Guilty of Professional Misconduct, declined to remit under section 53ZA, and awarded expenses to the Respondent.