A former Law Society Council member whose firm was intervened in by the Society lost an appeal against the £191,620 bill for the intervention proceedings this week.


Matthew Gauntlett, ex-council member for Berkshire and north Hampshire, is facing the costs following an intervention in his Yateley firm Beveridge Gauntlett in 2003, on the basis that there was 'reason to suspect dishonesty'.



Mr Gauntlett and former partner Sarah Beveridge were both acquitted of money laundering charges at Southwark Crown Court in June. Laurence Ford, a legal executive at the firm, was jailed for six years after being found to have channelled £200 million in carousel fraud proceeds through the two-partner firm, without the solicitors' knowledge.



The trial judge criticised both Mr Gauntlett and Ms Beveridge as 'quite out of their depth', adding that Mr Gauntlett had been 'on any view careless, unprofessional and grossly negligent in the performance of his duties to practice'.



A High Court judge last week rejected Mr Gauntlett's arguments that he should not be required to pay the cost of the intervention. He also rejected his claim for loss of the opportunity to obtain employment by the Crown Prosecution Service because his practicing certificate had been withdrawn.



The Law Society has returned the practising certificates of both Mr Gauntlett and Ms Beveridge.



Mr Gauntlett said: 'I am seriously considering a second appeal to the Court of Appeal, particularly relating to the undecided points on compensation for interventions.'



Both Mr Gauntlett and Ms Beveridge are to face proceedings before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for unbefitting conduct and lack of supervision.



Rachel Rothwell