Michael T Petty

Allegation / charges

In the matter of Michael T Petty, a solicitor formerly of M Petty & Company, Solicitors, Parliament Street, Ennistymon, Co Clare, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2002 [3387/DT21/07 and High Court record no 3SA 2008] Law Society of Ireland (applicant) Michael T Petty (respondent solicitor) On 27 November 2007, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found the respondent solicitor guilty of misconduct in his practice as a solicitor in that he: a) Failed to comply with an undertaking given to the complainant that he would deal with outstanding Land Registry queries, which undertaking was given at the time of closing of the sale in 1994, in a timely manner or at all, b) Failed to respond to the Society’s correspondence, and in particular the Society’s letters of 19 July 2006, 1 August 2006, 10 August 2006, 13 September 2006, 20 October 2006, 13 November 2006 and 11 December 2006 in a timely manner or at all, c) Failed to respond to correspondence from the complainant to him in connection with the outstanding undertaking, which correspondence spanned a number of years. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ordered that the Law Society of Ireland do bring such findings of the tribunal in respect of the respondent solicitor before the High Court, together with the report of the tribunal to the High Court, which report includes the opinion of the tribunal as to the fitness or otherwise of the respondent solicitor to be a member of the solicitors’ profession, having regard to their findings and the recommendations of the tribunal as to the sanction that should be imposed, having regard to their findings in respect of the respondent solicitor. On 10 March 2008, the President of the High Court ordered, pursuant to section 8 of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1960 (as substituted by section 18 of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994 and amended by section 9 of the Solicitors(Amendment) Act 2002 ), that: 1) The respondent solicitor shall not be permitted to practise as a sole practitioner or in partnership, that he be permitted only to practise as an assistant solicitor under the direct control and supervision of another solicitor of at least ten years’ standing, to be approved in advance by the Law Society of Ireland, 2) The respondent solicitor do deliver to Marian Petty, solicitor, all or any documents, files and papers in his possession or within his procurement arising from his practice as a solicitor, including all ledger cards and funds held for or on behalf of clients’ files, 3) The Law Society do recover the cost of the proceedings herein and the cost of the proceedings before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

Duties engaged

• Honour professional undertakings

Documents

No documents recorded.