C T Weeden

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

Colin Thomas Weeden, a sole practitioner, faced six allegations relating to a five-year delay in administering an estate (causing a £25,000+ IHT penalty), failure to supervise an unadmitted clerk, failure to co-operate with the SRA and Legal Complaints Service and comply with Adjudicator directions, failure to maintain indemnity insurance and apply to the Assigned Risks Pool, and breach of an undertaking to Barclays Bank. The Respondent did not attend or engage. The Tribunal found all six allegations fully substantiated. No dishonesty was alleged or found. Given the serious nature of the misconduct, his abandonment of clients, and stated (but unevidenced) health concerns, the Tribunal suspended him indefinitely and ordered costs of £5,120.25.

Duties found breached:

• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• Advise on alternatives, settlement and outcome
• No conflict between current clients
• Supervise staff and delegated work
• Professional indemnity insurance
• Honour professional undertakings

Aggravating factors:

• Abrogated all responsibility for his firm and clients; effectively walked away
• Conduct reflected very badly on the profession
• Failed to engage in the regulatory process with no explanation
• Serious allegations resulting in losses and distress to clients, complaints and insurance claims
• Estate took five years to administer, causing over £25,000 inheritance tax penalty
• Failure to register charge caused large losses to lender client

Mitigating factors:

• Reference during investigation to ill health (depression and anxiety), though no medical evidence provided