Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Latest annual report of Scottish Legal Complaints Commission shows rise in compensation awards, mediation between clients & solicitors

THE latest annual report of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) shows a rise in compensation & fee reductions awarded to clients in the year 2013-2014. Figures of £365,000 announced by the SLCC’s Chief Executive – Matthew Vickers, reveals complaints are costing the legal profession around £1000 a day.

SLCC 2014 Annual Report

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission laid its Annual Report and Annual Accounts before the Scottish Parliament on 15 December 2014.

Over £1000 a day was agreed or awarded to complainers dissatisfied with the service provided by the legal profession in Scotland last year. The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC), agreed or awarded more than £365,000 in compensation or fee reductions in its 2013/14 operating year.

Launching the Annual Report, the SLCC’s CEO, Matthew Vickers, commented “The vast majority of the legal profession in Scotland provide great service to the public, but where things do go wrong the SLCC takes firm and decisive action to put things right.” Conveyancing, family law and executries, wills and trusts are the three biggest areas of complaint. Vickers points out that cases touching on home and family life can have a huge impact on people’s lives (yes yes, where there’s a will there’s a crook – Ed)

“We’re ready to use the full extent of our powers to enforce our decisions and make sure awards are paid out where they are due. 65% of the complaints about service which we accept are resolved or upheld” says Vickers. But the Annual Report also highlights the growing importance of informal techniques such as the SLCC’s free and confidential mediation service in finding solutions to complaints. Consequently, the SLCC’s process has become quicker and more efficient and complaint handling times have halved since 2012."

"The legal services sector is worth over £1 billion to the Scottish economy and the report notes recent research which indicates that law firms can increase their profitability by around 3% through better complaint handling. The report also sets out the work of the SLCC on training and guidance for the profession. Vickers added “we’ve published guidance for the public on using legal services and on conveyancing in particular as part of our efforts to prevent complaints from happening in the first place.”

Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Solicitor Michael Wright found guilty of attempt to blackmail his childhood abuser

SOLICITOR Michael Wright was found guilty of extortion at the last jury trial held at Haddington Sheriff Court. The court heard in evidence lawyer Wright had sent threatening letters to his childhood abuser demanding £25K for silence otherwise he would tell his employers. In an update to the story (January 20 2015) it has been reported Mr Wright was jailed.

Daily record: Shamed solicitor found guilty of trying to blackmail his childhood sex abuser

LAWYER Michael Wright sent an anonymous letter threatening to tell the convicted abuser's employers about his sordid past unless he was paid £25,000.

A SOLICITOR has been convicted of trying to blackmail his childhood sex abuser.

Michael Wright, 39, sent an anonymous letter threatening to tell the man’s employers about his conviction for abusing three boys in the 1980s.

And he demanded £25,000 as the price of his silence.

But instead of paying up, the elderly man, who preyed on boys who came to him for music lessons, went to the police.

During a three-day trial at Haddington Sheriff Court, Wright claimed he believed he had a legitimate claim for compensation and planned to give the money to charity.

But the father of two was found guilty of attempted extortion.

Sheriff Peter Braid deferred sentence to January and released Wright on bail.

The abuser, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said his mind was a blank about his sex offences.

He added: “I accept he (Wright) was a victim of what I was doing. But I felt it had to be done (informing the police) as whatever happens you cannot be blackmailed.”

Wright was working as a legal adviser at Livingston JP Court at the time he wrote the letter, which was franked with a court stamp.

The letter contained details of his bank account for the money to be deposited.

Wright, who broke down in the dock several times as he relived the abuse, said the sexual assaults against him went on for six to 18 months.

He added neither he nor his family had ever received an apology.

Wright said: “I genuinely believe I had a legitimate claim against the man. I never intended to threaten him and I knew I wasn’t going to (personally) benefit financially.

“I wanted to see some contrition.

“The letter was pure and raw emotion.”

He insisted that the lack of signature on the letter was an oversight when he wrote it in a state of anxiety.

Lorna Harrison, prosecuting, told the court the demand was “a standard threatening letter of blackmail”.