Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal

Decisions

Recent ordersOrders filed recently with the Law Society (which may be subject to appeal) include the following:Ian Douglas YoungSolicitor of White Lion Ho, Town Centre, Hatfield, Herts AL10 0JN; application for determination of indefinite suspension granted on 29 October 2001 (application 8480/2001).Joseph Russell LloydSolicitor of Elwy Grove, The Roe, St Asaph, Clwyd, North Wales LL17 0LY; suspended from practice for an indefinite period on 6 November 2001 (application 8330/2001).These orders will be reported more fully in due course.Rasalingam YogeshwaranAdmitted 1989;Application 8331/2001;Hearing, 31 July 2001;reasons, 27 September 2001The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ordered the respondent, of Flat 51, Primrose Hill Court, King Henry's Rd, London NW3 3QS, who had practised on his own account, to be suspended from practice for one year from 31 July 2001 for unbefitting conduct, in that he had failed to pay fees for the preparation of psychological and medical reports as they fell due; he had permitted a cheque drawn on his firm's account to be dishonoured on presentation; he had caused a cheque drawn on his firm's account to be dishonoured on presentation; he had failed to reply to letters from the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors; and he had failed to keep properly written-up accounts, contrary to rule 11 of the Solicitors Accounts Rules 1991.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal sympathised with the respondent over the delay in payment by the legal aid board; to a great extent he had been a victim of circumstance; but the allegations of non-payment of cheques issued by him were serious matters.

The respondent was ordered to pay costs (to be assessed).