Peter Rhys Williams

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

Peter Rhys Williams, an experienced solicitor, was found by the SDT to have made deliberate misrepresentations to Northern Rock and to the Trustee in Bankruptcy's solicitors while acting on a property transaction designed to buy a client's mortgaged property (in negative equity) via a company (F Ltd) for £2.2m with an intended onward sale to JD for £3.9m. The Tribunal found allegations 1.1 (integrity), 1.3 (public trust) and 1.4 (unfair advantage) proved, plus dishonesty in respect of a misrepresentation to the Trustee's solicitors that the client had no £3.9m valuation; allegations 1.2 and 1.5 (misleading the court) were dismissed. The scheme itself was held not inherently improper. The Tribunal struck him off and ordered £195,000 costs. On appeal, the High Court allowed the appeal against the findings of dishonesty and of lack of integrity re the F Ltd representations, upheld lack of integrity re the negotiation representations, quashed the strike-off and substituted a 9-month suspension, and reduced costs to £60,000, with no order on the appeal costs.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• No taking unfair advantage
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Deliberate and calculated conduct in furtherance of client's aims to secure a financial advantage
• Took unfair advantage of the Trustee in Bankruptcy
• Very experienced and highly reputed solicitor
• Displayed very little insight into his misconduct
• Evidence found to be self-serving and disingenuous

Mitigating factors:

• Previously unblemished career of long standing
• Full cooperation with the SRA investigation
• Strong character references (including Stephen Jourdan QC)
• Acted under considerable pressure from the client

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