Lynsay Kelly

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

Lynsay Kelly, a former partner and cashroom partner at J&A Boyd, was found guilty of professional misconduct for embezzling over £300,000 from the executry estate of a deceased client (Mr L), using client funds to purchase a property jointly with SK, forging signatures, misleading the court, bank and share administrators, submitting false settlement documentation, denying and then admitting the embezzlement to her partner, and failing to co-operate with Law Society investigations across three conduct complaints. She had been convicted at Ayr Sheriff Court in April 2023 and received a two-year custodial sentence. The Tribunal made express findings of dishonesty and, proceeding in her absence, ordered that she be struck off the Roll of Solicitors and found her liable for expenses (to be taxed) plus publicity, with Complaint Originators given 28 days to lodge compensation claims.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• Act only on proper, lawful instructions
• No conflict between current clients
• Handle inadvertently received material
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Report serious misconduct of others
• AML and crime-prevention compliance
• Not misrepresent regulated status

Aggravating factors:

• Prolonged and deliberate course of dishonest conduct over 15 months
• Embezzlement of over £300,000 from client/executry funds
• Criminal conviction with two year custodial sentence
• Serious breach of trust bringing profession into disrepute
• Failure to engage with Tribunal proceedings
• No remorse shown
• Forgery and misleading of the court, bank and share administrators

Mitigating factors:

• No previous findings of professional misconduct
• Risk to public low as she had not been employed as a solicitor since 11 July 2019 and held no practising certificate