Alan Robert Kennedy Watt

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

The Law Society complained that the respondent solicitor, Alan Watt, was guilty of professional misconduct based on a letter dated 22 October 2020 he sent in response to a former client's letter of complaint, in which he warned he would raise an action to recover any losses incurred dealing with the matter and stated he was considering referring the matter to Police Scotland. The Tribunal found the language was ill-judged and designed to discourage the client from pursuing the complaint, but, considering the whole context (including that the client's letter could be read as a compensation claim and that the letter was not aggressive or rude), held it was not a serious and reprehensible departure from the standards of competent and reputable solicitors under the Sharp test. The Tribunal found the respondent NOT guilty of professional misconduct, but considered the conduct may amount to unsatisfactory professional conduct and remitted the complaint to the Law Society under s.53ZA of the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980. No award of expenses was made. Publicity ordered including the names of the respondent and secondary complainer.