Andrew Robert Walker Miller & Eileen Wingate Morrison
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
The First Named Respondent (Andrew Robert Walker Miller), working under supervision on a restricted practising certificate, was administering the estate of the late Mrs A. On five occasions he deliberately forged the signature of co-executor Stephen Lamont on withdrawal forms from financial institutions (Standard Life, Allied Dunbar x2, Nationwide, National Savings) and returned them as genuine; on one he also falsely purported to witness the forged signature. The Tribunal expressly found his conduct dishonest, criminal, disgraceful and dishonourable, and struck his name off the Roll of Solicitors. There was no financial loss to the estate and no personal financial gain. The Second Named Respondent (Eileen Wingate Morrison), his employer/supervisor, was found guilty of professional misconduct for failing to adequately supervise him and was censured. Expenses were apportioned 75% to the First and 25% to the Second Named Respondent on an agent and client indemnity basis (amount to be taxed).
Duties found breached:
Aggravating factors:
- Signature deliberately forged on five separate occasions
- No attempt made to contact the executor, motivated by not wanting to risk losing the executry business
- Conduct amounted to criminal behaviour
Mitigating factors:
- No financial loss to the estate
- No personal financial benefit to the First Named Respondent
- Both Respondents entered into a Joint Minute and co-operated from an early stage
- Matter had been hanging over the Respondents for some time
- For the Second Named Respondent: difficult position supervising a former senior partner, did not know Mr Lamont was an executor, no reason to suspect forgery, money correctly placed in client account, now working competently as an assistant