Monday, May 13, 2013

Carving up the client roast : Solicitors regulator SLCC’s Board Members Interests reveals connections, influence & how quango positions, consultancy empires are built behind closed doors

SLCC

Judges should do it too - Register of Interest at Scots solicitors regulator reveals connections public should know. WHILE the Scottish Parliament await to hear from Scotland’s Lord President Lord Brian Gill who was asked over a month ago to reconsider his refusal to attend an evidence session before MSPs on the subject of Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary, it is worth noting there are others in Scotland’s closed shop legal empire who are already bound by rules which require them to declare their interests.

The board members of Scotland’s notoriously inept, scandal prone legal regulator, the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) have been required to declare their interests in an updated register published online by the SLCC, after DOI journalists submitted Freedom of Information requests to the ‘independent’ SLCC in 2008 for details of board members interests & connections.

Over the past five years of the SLCC, its changing, and burgeoning board members lucrative interests have been reported on Diary of Injustice, where connections with big business, law firms, the lucrative world of mediation & consultancies, Scottish Government quangos and the well-remunerated committee circuit have shown some at the SLCC with more than 10 jobs at a time.

Unsurprisingly, little has changed in 2013, with the most recent published version of the SLCC’s Board Members Register of Interests revealing most of it’s board members haves the usual ‘as long as your arm’ list of interests which gives credence to critics & consumers perception of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission as a bit of a time wasting exercise in the regulation of complaints against solicitors.

Notably, the 2013 Register of Interests at the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission currently published, lacks mention of any information which may give an indication of a wealth quantification of those on the SLCC’s board, however it is plain that those who end up at the SLCC, just as those who end up promoted to positions within Scotland’s judiciary, appear to gather up money making roles on boards, jobs as consultants and other high earning money spinners almost as easy as ordering a pizza.

Any register of interests for Scotland’s Judiciary will most certainly have to include more specific information on judges and their links, interests etc which the SLCC currently, curiously omits.

The current Register of Interests published by the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission is published below, however it should be noted there is as yet no entry for the SLCC’s newest Board Member, former Scottish Information Commissioner Kevin Dunion who was consistently critical of how the SLCC handled Freedom of Information requests to the media.

Bill Brackenridge (Chairman, SLCC)
*Non-Executive Director of Highland Health Board.
*Non-Executive Director of the State Hospital Board.
*Chairman, Argyll & Bute Adult Protection Committee.

Lawyer Members :

George Clark
*Director of Scottish Building Society and SBS Mortgages Limited.
*Former Consultant/Partner with Morton Fraser LLP from 1979 until 2012.
*Chair of the Private Rented Housing Panel in Scotland.
*Previously, Chairman of Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre from 1988 until 2001.
*Chair, of Homeowners Housing Panel.
*Member of Scottish Rugby Council

Ian Leitch CBE
*Member of the Law Society of Scotland.

Maurice O'Carroll
*Practising Member of the Faculty of Advocates 1995 – date.
*Ad hoc Advocate Depute for Crown Office 2002 – date.
*Brother of Sheriff Derek O’Carroll who as a practising Member of the Faculty of Advocates (2000-2010).
*Board Member of the Homeowners Housing Panel 2012 – date.

‘Lay’ Members :

Ian Gibson
*Board Member of NHS Highland and Chair of Health and Social Care Committee.
*Member of consultant’s panel for Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland.
*Member of consultant’s list for Development Partners Ltd providing business advice services for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
*Member of consultant’s panel for the Charities Aid Foundation.
*Volunteer business mentor Scottish Chamber of Commerce.
*Cousin is a partner in Kirklands Solicitors Perth.
*Nephew is a solicitor advocate with Simpson Marwick; his partner is an advocate in Axiom stables.
*Trustee CLIC Sargent.
*Secretary of Newtonmore Camanachd Club.

Dr Samantha Jones
*Director of Islandscape Photography (self-employed).
*Freelance consultant.
*Formerly, an Associate Consultant with Valuta Ltd during (2010).
*Previously, Clerk to the Standards Committee and HR Change Programme
*Manager for Scottish Parliament (2000-2010).
*During time with Scottish Parliament had regular professional contact with staff of the Government Legal Service for Scotland (GLSS) (2000-2010).
*Chair of Mull Theatre Ltd – voluntary unpaid role.
*Director of Comar, SCIO – voluntary unpaid role.
*Director of Wild Scotland – voluntary unpaid role.
*A Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society – voluntary unpaid role.
*Volunteer Crew Member at Tobermory RNLI and the station's Lifeboat Press Officer – voluntary unpaid role.

Iain McGrory
*Commissioned the services of Simpson and Marwick Solicitors, Aberdeen and Edinburgh Branches, on behalf of Grampian Police, on several occasions between 2002 and 2010.
*Iain McGrory is an independent complaints handling consultant trading as IJM Professional Services.
During 2012 he provided consultancy services to the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) and the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland (PCCS).
*He is currently Chairing a Working Group on behalf of the Scottish Government – Police Reform Team, tasked with producing updated Conduct Regulations for the new Police Service of Scotland.

Fiona Smith
*Formally HR Director for NHS Orkney from 2004 to 2011.
*Professional dealings with the NHS Central Legal Office between November 2004 and February 2011.
*Currently providing associate consultancy services to KBAScotland, including being a member of consultant’s list for Development Partners Ltd providing business advice services for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
*Partner in Sorton Partners, a business advice and consultancy partnership.
*Associate of Impact International, a training and development provider.

The SLCC’s full register of interests is available online HERE, and is worth comparing with previous versions, reported by Diary of Injustice here, More ‘jobs for the boys’ than action on ‘crooked lawyers’ : What it takes to be a Board Member at the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission.

An earlier report on the recruitment of some of the above board members, which compares their previous positions to those now listed above, is available here : One more ex-cop for anti-client Scottish Legal Complaints Commission as Justice Secretary hands out five year quango jobs at £212 per day

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very revealing as always.

It is perhaps worth noting that the Lord President, as the final arbiter of who in the judiciary should have their knuckles rapped, is also fulfilling a regulatory role.

Anonymous said...

Just goes to show you that you can stuff the SLCC with Board Members to give the perception that everything is legit, when the truth is it is still RUN by the Law Society of Scotland to keep crooked Scottish lawyers continually employed at the Scottish Public's expense?

Just because you stick a lemon up a chickens arse ( to give it a lemon aroma), does not mean that you can call it a lemon?

You could have Jesus, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, and Willie Wonka on the SLCC Board..........it would make no difference, it is still a corrupt organisation run by crooks for the benefit of crooks?

Anonymous said...

If you had a case that was sabotaged by the SLCC to deliberately let a known crooked Scottish lawyer off Scot-Free, who at the SLCC would you sue?

Would it be the whole Board of Directors?

If not, just what is the point of having them there?

Or are they simply props for the window dresser's display?

Anonymous said...

A better question may be to ask these board members in terms of their roles whether any of them are aware that the SLCC have involved themselves in colluding with the Law Society of Scotland to pervert the course of Justice?

Now that would be an interesting set of answers?

Anonymous said...

Iain McGrory
*Commissioned the services of Simpson and Marwick Solicitors, Aberdeen and Edinburgh Branches, on behalf of Grampian Police, on several occasions between 2002 and 2010.

How many cases were involved, reasons for instructing a private firm of solicitors, how much did this cost taxpayers and how much was earned by Simpson and Marwick as a result of instructions given by Mr McGrory?


*Iain McGrory is an independent complaints handling consultant trading as IJM Professional Services.

Nice little earner? His earnings and activities in this should be declared if he sits on the SLCC.

During 2012 he provided consultancy services to the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) and the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland (PCCS).

At what cost and who paid it?


*He is currently Chairing a Working Group on behalf of the Scottish Government – Police Reform Team, tasked with producing updated Conduct Regulations for the new Police Service of Scotland.

What is the cost of this and who else is involved?

I do hope your friends in the tabloids get into this one asap!

Anonymous said...

NO wonder the SLCC is useless at regulating when all its board members have 10 jobs each.It amazes me they can even be bothered to collect the £212 a day to show up for a meeting or is it just paid direct debit whether they perform or not.

Anonymous said...

One person one job otherwise get off this fake regulator

Anonymous said...

Ah well no wonder the judges are so against a register of interests because they are probably well at it too.Everyone sitting around on each other's lap/club/committee/voluntary society etc no wonder there is no justice in Scotland.

Anonymous said...

Very difficult to spot the non lawyer members in this list because they all seem to be tied up in consultancies and mediation companies all doing work for either the Scottish Government or the legal profession.

Anonymous said...

So much for criticising the FSA for having too many links to bankers as the reason it was crap at regulating Goodwin etc its just the same in the lawyer regulating world

Anonymous said...

None of these people should be allowed to hold other jobs because the potential for conflict of interest is shy high and I can see a few conflicts in the list you have published.This SLCC is nothing short of a big fat fraud.

Anonymous said...

Suffice to say the only people who feel it is acceptable to have lots of positions while being a board member on a discredited regulator are those same people - us mere plebs know otherwise and as everyone is saying this is a completely unacceptable state of affairs.

Anonymous said...

There is no such thing as a Regulator of Scottish lawyers?

Anonymous said...

This is yet another McQuango?

Where various 'yes men' & 'yes women' are co opted into a variety of positions as a means to an end and to attempt to pull the veil over the Scottish Public's eyes?

Anonymous said...

Just incredible really this is allowed to go on right under our noses

Anonymous said...

Q. Will you agree to follow the Law Society of Scotland's Emperor Palpatine's Instructions regarding helping to get crooked Scottish lawyers off Scot-Free?

A. Yes



Great, your in !

Anonymous said...

This is just management speak quango tomfoolery dressed up to change perceptions?

However, if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck then you can be sure it is a DUCK?

i.e. the SLCC is the Law Society of Scotland?


The SSDT is also a duck?

Anonymous said...

When the Scottish Government is forced, kicking and screaming to adopt a fair and just regulator of Scottish solicitors, instead of the corrupt sham that is the SLCC & the SSDT, then I would be far more relaxed if the lay majority on these tribunals should be strictly NON PAID.?

This way, there would be a more altruistic group who would deal with the facts of the case on their merits instead of the incestous and criminal collusion that is being passed off in front of us at the moment?

Maybe after Scotland's Police Service strips the perverts out of the Crown Office, they will turn their attention towards the SLCC & SSDT and we may see a few more arms up the back there?

Anonymous said...

The common purpose here is to make sure there is zero accountability and at all costs to make sure that the victim gets a right good shafting?

Anonymous said...

The common denominator is this; they know that the SLCC is a discredited and criminal organisation, so anyone willingly putting their name forward to join such a criminal ruse, says it all really?