Michael Lloyd Wilson

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

The Disciplinary Committee, having earlier found the Respondent guilty of professional misconduct under Canon II(k) based on his UK conviction for an offence involving dishonesty (unauthorized use of ~£100,000 of investor funds), imposed sanction after a hearing. Applying Bolton v Law Society and SRA v Sharma, the panel found dishonesty and no exceptional circumstances to place the case in the small residual category where striking off would be disproportionate, particularly given the Respondent's refusal to give evidence and absence of personal remorse. The panel ordered the Respondent struck from the Roll of Attorneys-at-Law and costs of $100,000 to the General Legal Council.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations

Aggravating factors:

• Conviction involving dishonesty and deception - unauthorized use of approximately £100,000 invested/entrusted to a company of which he was director
• Refusal to give evidence at trial and sanction hearing, depriving panel of context on nature/scope/extent of dishonesty
• No evidence of remorse from the Respondent himself
• Attempts to dismiss the complaint and withdraw his plea without notice after admission
• Continued obtaining of practising certificates while incarcerated in the UK
• Seriousness of the offence

Mitigating factors:

• Character evidence from five witnesses attesting to integrity, honesty, professionalism and commitment
• Already served a custodial sentence and struck off the Roll of Solicitors in the UK
• Early admission on pleadings and at first hearing