Michael Louis Karus

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

Michael Louis Karus, a solicitor no longer in practice, was found subject to Section 53(1)(b) of the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 having pled guilty in 2009 to embezzling £413,052.81 from the estate of a deceased person for whom he acted as executor, for which he was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment. The Tribunal, noting the seriousness of the offence committed in a position of trust and two prior misconduct findings, struck his name from the Roll of Solicitors and found him liable for expenses, with the usual order for publicity.

Aggravating factors:

• Embezzlement of £413,052.81 committed while in a position of trust as executor
• Two previous findings of professional misconduct before the Tribunal
• Serious offence damaging the reputation of the profession

Mitigating factors:

• Co-operated with the Law Society and instructed solicitor to draft the Complaint to reduce expenses
• Pled guilty at criminal proceedings (sentence discounted from 5 years)
• Money subsequently repaid
• Had moved on with his life in the years since the offence