Raymond Jameson

Allegation / charges

In the matter of Raymond Jameson, solicitor, practising as Jameson & Company, Fitzwilliam Square, Wicklow, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts, 1954-2002 [6806/DT436] Law Society of Ireland (applicant) Raymond Jameson (respondent solicitor) On 24 September 2004, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found that the respondent solicitor was guilty of misconduct in his practice as a solicitor in that had: a) Failed to file an accountant’s report with the Law Society of Ireland within six months of his accounting date of 30 April 2002, in breach of regulation 21(1) of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations no 2 of 1984 b) Created multiple debit balances, in breach of regulation 7(2)(a) of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations 2001 c) Maintained books of accounts that were six months in arrears, in breach of regulation 12(2)(a) of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations 2001 d) Failed to comply with one of the conditions laid down by the Compensation Fund Committee on 10 July 2003, which was a prerequisite for the granting of an adjournment in that he failed to clear the deficit on his client account within seven days e) Allowed a representation to be made in a letter to the society dated 2 September 2003 that the deficit identified by his reporting accountant had been cleared when it had not f) Failed to discharge a further deficit of €238,739 by close of business on 2 September 2003, notwithstanding the representation made to the society to this effect in a letter to the society dated 2 September 2003 g) Failed to retain a deposit of £6,000 received in March 2000 until October 2001 when the sale closed h) Used other client monies to pay expenses and the beneficiaries of an estate i) Created a debit balance in relation to the client account of the estate in the amount of £60,000 or €76,184.24, in breach of regulation 7(2)(a) of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations no 2 of 1984 j) Lodged sale proceeds of €76,184.28 relating to a named estate (being the euro equivalent of £60,000), being client monies, to the office account in February 2002, in breach of regulation 4(1) and regulation 6(4)(a) of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations 2001 k) Failed to hold the deposit received in respect of the above sale until the transaction was closed l) Used other client monies totalling €108,014.69 to make a distribution in a named estate on 6 December 2002 m) Advanced other client monies totalling €333,000 to a client builder on 14 April 2003 n) Failed to create and maintain a ledger account for his client builder, in breach of regulation 12(1) and (2)of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations 2001 o) Advanced other client monies of €146,027 to the vendor of a property on behalf of his client purchaser p) Was six months in arrears with the writing-up of the client account, in breach of regulation 12(2)(a) of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations 2001 q) Retained a number of old balances on the client ledger account, which included fees, in breach of regulation 5(2) and 5(4) of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations 2001 r) Failed to maintain separate ledger accounts for each client matter, in breach of regulation 12(3)(a) of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations 2001 s) Failed to procure from his bank the return of paid cheques drawn on the client account, in breach of regulation 20(1)(f) of the Solicitors’ Accounts Regulations 2001 . The tribunal reported to the High Court, and on 29 November 2004 the president of the High Court ordered that: i) The name of the respondent solicitor be struck off the roll of solicitors ii) The respondent solicitor do make delivery to any person appointed by the applicant of all or any of the documents in the possession, control or within the procurement of the solicitor arising from his practice as a solicitor iii)The respondent solicitor do pay to the applicant the costs of the application and the costs of the proceedings before the Disciplinary Tribunal, such costs to be taxed in default of agreement.

Duties engaged

• Segregate client money
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Account for interest on client money

Documents

No documents recorded.