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discipline 2 October 2026

The duty in context

Accounting records, reconciliation and reports money

The lawyer must keep accurate, contemporaneous accounting records, perform regular reconciliations, retain records for the prescribed period, and deliver any required accountant's report.

879 cases 67% strike-off avg suspension 23.6 mo avg fine 27,739 318 with dishonesty finding

How the codes express this duty

E&W Solicitors SRA Principles & Code SAR Rule 8.1; SAR Rule 8.3; SAR Rule 12.1 strong 644 cases
8.1 You keep and maintain accurate, contemporaneous, and chronological records to: ... 8.3 You complete at least every five weeks, for all client accounts held or operated by you, a reconciliation ... 12.1 ... you must: (a) obtain an accountant's report for that accounting period within six months of the end of the period; and (b) deliver it to the SRA within six months of the end of the accounting period if the accountant's report is qualified ...
E&W Barristers BSB Handbook rC88.1; rC87.2 partial 4 cases
rC88 You must: .1 ensure that adequate records supporting the fees charged or claimed in a case are kept at least until the later of the following: .a your fees have been paid; and .b any determination or assessment of costs in the case has been completed and the time for lodging an appeal ... has expired ...; rC87 ... .2 proper records of your practice are kept.
Cayman Islands Legal Services Code 2026 R.8.4(c) partial
maintain appropriate financial records including good file management/ accounting practices to demonstrate compliance with this R.8
AU Solicitors Solicitors' Conduct Rules no clear equivalent
AU Barristers Uniform Barristers Rules no clear equivalent
IE Solicitors Law Society Guide Ch9 — Accounts regulations: General strong 61 cases
To establish and maintain proper accounting systems and proper internal control systems to ensure compliance with the regulations... To deliver an annual accountant's report, as required by the regulations.
IE Barristers Bar Code of Conduct no clear equivalent
JM Attorneys Canons of Professional Ethics Canon VII; Canon VII(b)(i) strong 105 cases
AN ATTORNEY SHALL MAINTAIN PROPER ACCOUNTS AND OBSERVE PROPER ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES IN THE CONDUCT OF HIS ACCOUNTS ESPECIALLY AS REGARDS ACCOUNTING FOR THE FUNDS OF HIS CLIENTS. ... (b)(i) keep such accounts as shall clearly and accurately distinguish the financial position between himself and his client as and when required ... he shall for these purposes keep the said accounts in conformity with the regulations which may from time to time be prescribed by the General Legal Council.
JE Lawyers Law Society of Jersey Code R.7.4 c)-d) partial
Members must: ... c) ensure compliance with the Accounts Rules; d) maintain appropriate financial records including good file management/ accounting practices to demonstrate compliance with this R.7.4.
ON Lawyers LSO Rules of Prof. Conduct r 3.5-5 partial
A lawyer shall maintain such records as necessary to identify a client's property that is in the lawyer's custody. [Detailed accounting records, reconciliations and accountant's reports are governed by the by-laws under the Law Society Act, not spelled out in the RPC.]
BC Lawyers BC Code r 3.5-5 partial 21 cases
A lawyer must maintain such records as necessary to identify clients' property that is in the lawyer's custody.
NZ Lawyers Conduct & Client Care Rules no clear equivalent
SCO Solicitors LSS Standards of Conduct no clear equivalent
SG Lawyers Professional Conduct Rules 2015 no clear equivalent
HK Solicitors Solicitors' Guide Principle 2.03 Commentary 3 partial
Every principal is personally responsible for complying with the Solicitors' Accounts Rules (Cap. 159 sub. leg. F) and the Accountant's Report Rules (Cap. 159 sub. leg. A). All the principals will be liable to disciplinary action if there is a failure to comply with these Rules.
HK Barristers Bar Code of Conduct para 9.13(a) partial
ensure that adequate records supporting the fees charged or claimed in a case are kept at least until the last of the following: payment of his fees, completion of any taxation or determination or assessment of costs in the case or expiry of the time for lodging an appeal against such assessment or determination of that appeal;

Cases dealing with this duty

Clear

879 decisions · link basis: found breached = a tribunal finding; rule cited = the mapped provision is cited in the decision; text match = high-precision text pattern

  • Stuart Samual Garcia & John Martin
    SDT solicitor 9193 2005-01-01 found breached

    Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Stephen Morecroft
    SDT solicitor 9356/2005 2005-01-01 found breached text match

    Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Nigel Raymond Jordan
    SDT solicitor 9209/2005 2005-01-01 found breached

    Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Harry Goldman
    SDT solicitor 9181/2005 2005-01-01 found breached text match

    Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Suspend - Indefinite 1 PDF View decision
  • Louis Hardy Charlebois
    SDT solicitor 9315/2005 2005-01-01 text match

    Breaches, Client Money, Delays, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Swee Fong Wong
    SDT solicitor 9327/2005 2005-01-01 found breached

    Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Suspend - Indefinite 1 PDF View decision
  • Dennis Alphonso Cummings-John
    SDT solicitor 9301/2005 2005-01-01 found breached text match

    Breaches, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Martin David Tucker
    SDT solicitor 9221/2005 2005-01-01 found breached

    Client Money, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Christopher Onyeka Agwu & Another
    SDT solicitor 9337/2005 2005-01-01 found breached text match

    Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Fine, Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Jeremy Michael Wolff & Another
    SDT solicitor 9312/2005 2005-01-01 found breached

    Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Others

    Fine, Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • C B Izegbu, Samuel N Okoronkwo & Another
    SDT solicitor 9285/2005 2005-01-01 found breached

    Breaches, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Fine, S.43 Order (clerks), Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Raymond Jameson
    LSI solicitor Jameson & Company, Fitzwilliam Square, Wicklow 2004-11-29 found breached text match

    In the matter of Raymond Jameson, solicitor, practising as Jameson & Company, Fitzwilliam Square, Wicklow, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts, 1954-2002 [6806/DT436] Law Society of Ireland (applicant) Raymond Jame…

    strike_off View decision
  • Krayem, Ghaith
    OLSC solicitor [2004] NSWADT 240 2004-10-19 text match

    1. Breach Clause 36 of the Legal Profession Regulation 1994 by failing to prepare monthly bank reconciliations 2. Breach Clause 39 of the Legal Profession Regulation 1994 by failing to prepare monthly trial balances of …

    Costs Removal of practitioner's name from the Roll of Local Lawyers $0.00 Proceedings Instituted 1 PDF View decision
  • Holt, Michael Francis
    OLSC solicitor Holt & Allen 2004-08-11 text match

    1. Wilfully contravened the provisions of Section 61 of the Legal Profession Act, 1987 - handling of trust moneys 2. Wilfully contravened the provisions of Section 62 of the Legal Profession Act, 1987 - failure to keep …

    Cancellation of Practising Certificate $0.00 About ​ About the OLSC The Commissioner History Mission statement Structure Contact ​ Contact the OLSC Give us your feedback: online surveys Access to information (GIPAA) Community information ​ Information for lawyers Fact sheets FAQs Other regulatory and complaint-handling organisations Contact LawAccess NSW for legal information " You and Your Lawyer", Hot ​​Topics 78 Legal Information Access Centre (LIAC), State Library of NSW​ , provides access to information about the law in NSW regarding your lawyer Privacy Copyright and Disclaimer Website accessibility View decision
  • Damian P Moynihan
    LSI solicitor Moynihan Mulvihill & Co, 6 Cornmarket Street, Cork 2004-07-12 found breached text match

    In the matter of Damian P Moynihan and Sean A Mulvihill, solicitors, formerly carrying on practice under the style and title of Moynihan Mulvihill & Co at 6 Cornmarket Street, Cork, and in the matter of the Solicitors A…

    strike_off View decision
  • Peter Fortune
    LSI solicitor Peter M Fortune & Co, Solicitors, at 38 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 2004-04-26 found breached text match

    Before the president the High Court: in the matter of Peter Fortune, solicitor, formerly practising under the style and title of Peter M Fortune & Co, Solicitors, at 38 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, and in the matter of …

    strike_off View decision
  • Raymond John Holland
    SDT solicitor 9109/2004 2004-01-01 text match

    Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • John William Hughes
    SDT solicitor 9047/2004 2004-01-01 found breached text match

    Breaches, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Moss-Davies
    SDT solicitor 9162/2004 2004-01-01 found breached text match

    Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Christopher Hawking
    SDT solicitor 9095/2004 2004-01-01 found breached text match

    Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules

    Prohibition Order 1 PDF View decision
  • Mark Gittins
    SDT solicitor 8969/2004 2004-01-01 found breached text match

    Breaches, Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Hugh Stephen Haycocks
    SDT solicitor 9152/2004 2004-01-01 found breached text match

    Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Christopher McChrystal
    SDT solicitor 9159/2004 2004-01-01 found breached

    Client Money, Failures

    Strike off 1 PDF View decision
  • Julian Aiden Vickers
    SDT solicitor 9145/2004 2004-01-01 text match

    Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Suspend - Indefinite 1 PDF View decision
  • Arachchige Ranjith Panamulle
    SDT solicitor 9070/2004 2004-01-01 found breached text match

    Client Money, Failures, Solicitors' Accounts Rules, Others

    Suspend - Indefinite 1 PDF View decision

Duty classification does not yet cover every jurisdiction (Ontario, New Zealand and Singapore decisions are indexed but not yet duty-classified), so counts here understate those corpora.