Robert P.D. Baugh

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

Mr and Mrs Clarke and the purchasers (the Lindsays) complained that their attorney Robert Baugh, given carriage of sale for premises at 11 Orion Avenue, took their money, the signed Agreement, a cheque for stamping costs and the land title but failed to complete the transfer over nearly three years while insisting he had done so. The Panel accepted evidence from the Deputy Stamp Commissioner that the Stamp Office receipt Baugh produced was false and did not emanate from her office, and from a National Housing Trust legal officer that the title was never delivered despite Baugh claiming he had sent it. The Panel found Baugh deliberately misrepresented to his clients that the transaction had progressed and produced a false document. It found him guilty of professional misconduct and ordered/recommended he be struck off the roll under Section 12(4) of the Legal Profession Act.

Duties found breached:

• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Keep client informed and respond promptly
• Handle inadvertently received material
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money

Aggravating factors:

• Deliberate misrepresentation to clients
• Production of a false/forged Stamp Office receipt
• Delay of nearly three years without completing the transaction
• Failure to attend later hearings and non-cooperation with the proceedings
• Conduct bringing the profession into disrepute