Robert Thompson

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

Robert Thompson, admitted 1966, was found guilty of conduct unbefitting a solicitor arising from his arrangement with Mr Francis (a former solicitor whose practice had been intervened into) and Eagle Law Services Ltd. He allowed Francis to conduct client matters with little supervision, shared fees, provided firm headed paper, and channelled £139,406.84 of Legal Aid costs through his personal building society accounts rather than his firm's books, breaching the Solicitors Accounts Rules and Practice Rules. He also destroyed part of a file subject to a Section 44B notice. Dishonesty was expressly not alleged. The allegation under s.41 (allegation viii) was not proven to the required standard. The Tribunal took a grave view and struck him off the Roll, ordering him to pay costs subject to detailed assessment.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• Personal probity and fitness to practise
• No conflict between current clients
• Handle inadvertently received material
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Report serious misconduct of others

Aggravating factors:

• Handled substantial Legal Aid costs (£139,406.84) through personal building society accounts rather than firm's books
• Failed to account for VAT (£19,894.92) that appeared not to have been paid to HM Customs & Excise
• Sought to derive income without regard to accounting regime
• Described the arrangement as 'money for old rope'
• Serious abrogation of responsibilities as a solicitor

Mitigating factors:

• Ill health
• Age (62) and no intention to return to practice
• Positive character references from professional colleagues
• Difficult financial position
• Had obtained Law Society permission to employ Mr Francis as a consultant