Richard Predko

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

Richard Predko, a sole practitioner admitted in 1971, was found to have breached the Solicitors Accounts Rules by misusing clients' funds, keeping inadequate books, making improper transfers, and acting in numerous situations where his interests conflicted with clients' (including borrowing from clients and buying their properties). He also recklessly misled the Probate Division by understating an estate's value. Notably, he treated himself as a client in his accounts to disguise his borrowings. The applicant made no allegation of dishonesty and the Tribunal expressly found he had not been dishonest, but concluded he had been feathering his own and his family's nest at clients' expense. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £7,600.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead the court
• No own-interest conflict
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• No improper solicitation or touting

Aggravating factors:

• Intermingling of respondent's personal affairs with clients' affairs, treating himself as a client in accounts to disguise borrowings
• Pattern of conflict of interest across numerous cases over a long period
• Shortage on client account of £26,962.13
• Overpayments to his own daughters and failure to properly distribute estate; beneficiaries not fully paid
• Previous 1995 Tribunal finding for conflict of interest and delay
• Respondent 'feathering his own and his family's nest at the expense of his clients'
• Retrospective/confirmatory authorities did not cure lack of proper representation of clients' interests at the time

Mitigating factors:

• No allegation of dishonesty made by applicant; Tribunal found no dishonesty
• Respondent replaced the shortage on client account
• No client or Compensation Fund suffered loss
• Difficult early life (refugee background, limited education) and self-made career
• Testimonial letter and pro bono work; caring member of society
• Consistently obtained unqualified accountant's reports
• Some clients confirmed authority and had taken independent advice