Quan Chee Seng Michael
JurisdictionSingapore
BodyDisciplinary Tribunal (Law Society of Singapore) (SG-DT)
Professionlawyer — M/S Michael Quan & Kenneth Lee
Date23/05/2003
OutcomeStruck off the roll with immediate effect
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
SanctionStrike Off
Dishonesty foundYes
Quan, a solicitor of 13 years' standing acting for clients in sale of their HDB flat, was found guilty on all four charges. He withdrew the full sale proceeds of $138,895.16 in cash, paid portions to a licensed moneylender (Assets) and a housing agent (Corin), and procured acknowledgements from clients that they had received the full sum in cash when they had not. The High Court found his conduct was part of a deliberate dishonest scheme to disguise excessive interest rates charged to clients and to avoid documentary evidence. Expressly finding dishonesty, the Court ordered him struck off the roll and to bear the Law Society's costs. Respondent was absent and unrepresented.
Duties found breached:
- No conflict between current clients
- Handle inadvertently received material
- No improper use of client money
Aggravating factors:
- Deliberate scheme to disguise excessive interest charged to clients
- Took advantage of clients' ignorance
- Total disregard for clients' interests
- Solicitor of 13 years' standing
Duties engaged
- No taking unfair advantage
- Not mislead third parties or opponents
- Fair dealing with unrepresented parties
- No conflict between current clients
- Handle inadvertently received material
- No improper benefit, loan or bequest
- No improper use of client money
- Honour professional undertakings
- Pay instructed practitioners and agents