James O'Neill Robb

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

James O'Neill Robb, a solicitor admitted in 1970, was found to have created and later altered an attendance note purporting to be contemporaneous, and to have made a misleading witness statement and allowed a misleading Reply and Defence to Counterclaim to be served in probate proceedings. He admitted dishonesty on allegation 1; the Tribunal found dishonesty proved on allegations 2 and 3 applying the Twinsectra test. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay agreed costs of £7,750.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead the court
• Not mislead third parties or opponents
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Handle inadvertently received material

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonest conduct on more than one occasion
• Created a purported contemporaneous attendance note on a second occasion and altered its wording
• Falsely claimed to the SRA he was unaware of the existence of NR's daughter L when he had known
• Signed Statements of Truth on documents he knew to be misleading while an officer of the court

Mitigating factors:

• Long and previously unblemished career of nearly 40 years
• Admitted dishonesty in relation to allegation 1
• No personal benefit or financial gain
• Numerous testimonials in support
• Acting under pressure from aggressive disappointed beneficiaries
• Delay in bringing matter to Tribunal and effect on health