Neil Andrew Aiston

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

Neil Adrian Aiston, a sole practitioner, was found to have caused or allowed the use of clients' monies for other clients' matters without consent, creating a significant client account shortage, and to have arranged private loans (including from a vulnerable client whose health he exploited) without authority. He also failed to maintain proper accounting systems and records, failed to remedy breaches promptly, and failed in his COLP/COFA roles. The Tribunal made express findings of dishonesty in respect of Allegations 1.2 and 1.3.1 applying the Ivey test. The Respondent did not attend. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £63,993. The Tribunal identified no mitigating factors and found the misconduct at the highest level of seriousness.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• No taking unfair advantage
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• No conflict between current clients
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Firm governance, systems and compliance

Aggravating factors:

• Misconduct was planned, deliberate, calculated and repeated
• Breach of a position of trust (family solicitor for ~40 years)
• Preyed upon a vulnerable client suffering ill-health to obtain a loan
• Lack of insight throughout, blaming others for his failings
• Only limited and equivocal admissions
• Financial harm of £175,000 to Client 3
• Highest level of culpability