Lynsay Kelly

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

Lynsay Kelly, a solicitor and former partner/Cashroom Partner at J&A Boyd, was found guilty of professional misconduct singly and in cumulo. She embezzled over £280,000 from the estate of the late Mr L, used and re-introduced funds to buy a property jointly with SK, forged signatures, submitted falsified confirmation documents to the Sheriff Court and share administrators, misled a bank and her former partner, breached multiple Accounts Rules, and failed to co-operate with the Law Society's investigations. She was convicted at Ayr Sheriff Court on 19 April 2023 and received a two-year custodial sentence. The Tribunal expressly found serious dishonesty and ordered that she be struck off the Roll of Solicitors, with liability for expenses and publicity. She did not engage with the proceedings and was neither present nor represented.

Duties found breached:

• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Act in the client's best interests
• Act only on proper, lawful instructions
• Firm governance, systems and compliance
• Handle inadvertently received material
• Honesty
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• Not misrepresent regulated status

Aggravating factors:

• Prolonged and deliberate dishonest conduct over approximately 15 months
• Embezzlement of over £300,000 of client/executry funds
• Criminal conviction with two-year custodial sentence
• No engagement with proceedings
• No remorse shown
• Egregious breach of trust as Cashroom Partner and executor

Mitigating factors:

• No previous findings of professional misconduct
• Risk to public low as Respondent no longer practising and held no practising certificate since 11 July 2019