Alastair McBean Blackwood

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

Alastair McBean Blackwood, a sole practitioner, facilitated the large-scale property fraud orchestrated by Edwin McLaren between 2010 and 2013. In 15 conveyancing transactions he took instructions from McLaren rather than his clients, repeatedly failed to meet clients, failed to carry out or record customer due diligence and enhanced due diligence, and relied improperly on identification supplied by McLaren (an estate agent). In two transactions (Appendices 14 and 15) he dishonestly signed dispositions as witness to signatures he had never witnessed. The Tribunal, proceeding in his absence, found him guilty of professional misconduct singly and in cumulo, made an express finding of dishonesty applying the Ivey test, and ordered that he be struck off the Roll of Solicitors. No order for expenses was made (as agreed) and the decision was published in full including his name.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• No conflict between current clients
• AML and crime-prevention compliance
• Good faith and courtesy to colleagues
• Not misrepresent regulated status

Aggravating factors:

• Previous finding of professional misconduct in 2017 (mismanagement of client funds resulting in significant client deficit; practising certificate restricted for 3 years)
• Conduct formed an established and repeated pattern across numerous transactions, at the most serious end of the scale
• Facilitated Edwin McLaren's large-scale fraud, generating fees, to the detriment of clients
• Lack of remorse and insight
• Contributed significantly to adverse publicity for the Scottish legal profession
• Continued to deny some averments contradicting his own admissions, complicating proceedings

Mitigating factors:

• Claimed ill health (anxiety, mental health, high blood pressure) though no medical evidence produced
• Repeatedly asked to be removed from the Roll of Solicitors
• Entered into a Joint Minute admitting the majority of the factual averments
• Transactions dated back some 13-14 years