Zosia Marion Elizabeth Fraser

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

The Respondent, while employed as a solicitor at Muir Myles Laverty, requested and received cash from clients for fees and VAT but failed to remit it to the firm, embezzling £1,315 across multiple files. She pled guilty to embezzlement at Dundee Sheriff Court (convicted 11 May 2007) and received a 160-hour Community Service Order. The Tribunal found her conduct disgraceful, dishonourable and dishonest, constituting a course of conduct rather than a one-off, and ordered her name struck from the Roll of Solicitors. She was also found liable for the Complainers' and Tribunal's expenses (taxed on agent and client indemnity basis), with publicity including her name.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• No improper use of client money

Aggravating factors:

• Course of conduct involving a number of incidents rather than a one-off
• Offences committed while an employee and in a position of trust
• Embezzlement of client money

Mitigating factors:

• Most money repaid at the time and all repaid by the court appearance
• Underlying medical/psychiatric condition
• Significant financial pressures (student loans, council tax debts, working weekends in a pub)
• Worked acceptably with another firm for a 2-year period after the incident
• Contrite and apologetic; favourable reference lodged
• Had indicated she did not intend to re-apply for a practising certificate