Catherine Bong & Another

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

Consolidated proceedings against two solicitors of B & W Law LLP. Respondent 1 was found to have breached the Solicitors' Accounts Rules (round-sum transfers, overpayment, poor records, failure to remedy), taken Court of Protection costs without assessment, provided misleading costs information, failed to disclose to a lender, completed a misleading Certificate of Title, failed to file multiple Accountant's Reports, ignored Law Society correspondence and Adjudicator directions. No dishonesty was alleged or found. He was fined £15,000, ordered to pay £17,000 costs, and from 26 April 2008 restricted to approved employment; two IPS awards were made enforceable as High Court orders. Mrs Bong was found to have given misleading costs information and submitted an inaccurate PII proposal; the Tribunal endorsed her existing indefinite suspension and ordered £4,000 costs.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead the court
• No improper communication with the court
• Disclose material information to client
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• Advise on alternatives, settlement and outcome
• No conflict between current clients
• Handle inadvertently received material
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Safeguard documents and limit liens

Aggravating factors:

• Chaotic state of accounts and failure to put matters right without delay
• Multiple regulatory failures across several practices
• Attempting to avoid personal responsibility for inadequate professional service awards by relying on a technical LLP defence
• Mrs Bong already subject to indefinite suspension and prior disciplinary findings

Mitigating factors:

• Catastrophic computer/server crash destroying accounting records, beyond his control
• No dishonesty alleged or found against Respondent 1
• Overpayment to clients repaid
• Instructed accountants to reconstruct records and filed some reports
• Attempted (mistakenly) to be transparent with clients about charges; widespread practice in profession
• Lenders aware of the builder discounts
• Attended hearing and apologised; practising as locum
• Mrs Bong's actions partly due to inexperience and ill health; insurers were in fact aware of the true position

⚠ figures not found verbatim in the source were dropped: ["review_dishonesty_finding_cue_present"]