Andrew Wayne Willis

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

The Attorney, former owner of a property foreclosed and sold by VMBS to the Complainant, resisted the Complainant's lawful occupation. He persuaded police and security that the Complainant had no right to the property by misrepresenting his entitlement and leveraging his professional status, and failed to disclose that his Supreme Court and Court of Appeal claims against VMBS had failed. The Panel found him guilty of professional misconduct under Canon I(b). Rejecting both strike-off and the Attorney's request for a mere fine or reprimand, the Panel imposed a 3-month suspension (from September 22, 2025) as a deterrent, plus JMD $50,000 costs to the Complainant and JMD $50,000 costs to the General Legal Council. No express finding of dishonesty was made.

Duties found breached:

• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Misrepresented facts to police and security personnel, leveraging professional status to mislead them
• Caused the Complainant to be adversely affected and threatened with arrest
• Failed to disclose that the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal had ruled against him, continuing to assert an exclusive right to occupy the property
• Ought to have known the law given his experience as counsel to a mortgage institution (NHT)

Mitigating factors:

• 29 years in practice with no prior adverse findings
• Positive character evidence from Joyce Rose Simms-Wilson attesting to high ethical standards
• Conduct arose from a private matter rather than professional practice
• Substantial personal financial loss (lost property and belongings)
• Ultimately vacated the property
• Submitted to be remorseful

⚠ figures not found verbatim in the source were dropped: ["unverified_costs_amount=100000"]