(unnamed respondent)

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

Appeal by solicitor Grant Ross Maclean against a Law Society PCSC determination upholding three heads of an unsatisfactory professional conduct complaint by former client Samantha Clark (failure to provide a time and line account; failure to provide a copy of the complaints procedure; advising the client to pay £1,600 upfront for taxation). The PCSC had censured him and directed a £1,000 fine plus £2,500 compensation. The appeal was conceded by the Law Society because not all relevant papers (over 300 pages of documents and submissions) had been before the Reporter and PCSC, a fundamental procedural error breaching natural justice. The Tribunal, considering the merits itself, found none of the three heads amounted to unsatisfactory professional conduct: he had only queried (not refused) the time and line account request; the brief failure to re-send the complaints procedure was insufficient; and advising that a taxation outlay be paid upfront was not misconduct. The Tribunal quashed the determination, censure and directions, made no expenses order, and directed publicity naming both parties.