Thursday, January 28, 2010

How Law Society's 'cancelled' prosecution of Borders solicitor Andrew Penman ignited moves to reform regulation of Scotland’s crooked lawyers

Law Society of ScotlandLaw Society of Scotland’s complaints whitewash provoked reforms. THE CANCELLED PROSECUTION OF BORDERS LAWYER ANDREW PENMAN, of Stormonth Darling Solicitors, by the Law Society of Scotland was one of the prime factors in starting a Scotland wide campaign to reform regulation of the legal profession, after the release of the investigation documents which revealed a Law Society Complaints Committee had been bullied into changing an original decision to prosecute Andrew Penman by Penman’s secret representative who attended the hearing, James Ness, a senior Law Society figure, now Deputy Director of Professional Practice.

Scotsman coverage of some of the stories relating to Andrew PenmanScotsman newspaper in better days followed the Penman case, eventually leading to its own editorials calling for self regulation of lawyers to end. As a result of significant publicity in the Scotsman newspaper on the Andrew Penman investigation, further cases came to light where it transpired many solicitors facing serious complaints had been legally represented at Law Society Complaints Committee hearings, particularly on serious issues such as embezzlement, allegations of client fraud, almost all complaints regarding the handling of wills, and even in cases where clients had been convicted of criminal charges. In all of these cases, while solicitors had been represented before Complaints Committees, clients had been denied equivalent representation.

Indeed, the practice of ‘legally’ representing a solicitor in front of a Complaints Committee, had become so common, it became accepted practice, unquestioned by any solicitor or lay members of the Complaints Committees, although deemed so sensitive the policy was kept secret from complaining clients and the general public, fearing claims of unfairness & prejudice. That secrecy broke, however, when due to the publicity on the Penman case, the Law Society was forced to disclose most of the Committee’s deliberations on Andrew Penman, sparking many clients to eventually find out they too had been similarly maligned by a hugely prejudicial policy of allowing a crooked lawyer legal representation before a Complaints Committee, while denying the same right to members of the public.

Law Watchdog faces threat of court fight - Scotland on Sunday 9 August 1999Former Legal Services Ombudsman Garry Watson changed recommendations on Law Society orders. As publicity grew around the Penman case, the practice of lawyers being legally represented before Complaints Committees, and being allowed to submit personal letters of pleadings to Committee members, while clients were denied similar rights, was criticised by the then Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman, Garry S Watson, who recommended the Law Society halt the practice, which it did, for a few months, until the publicity died down, then apparently re-started in secret. Garry Watson also asked for full explanations and disclosure over Penman’s secret representations, which never happened after the Law Society ordered Mr Watson to change his opinion, cancelling his order clients should be informed fully of Committee deliberations. After the Law Society restarted the practice, clients were of course none the wiser as queues of lawyers lined up to send their legal representatives to Complaints Committees, pleading in the first instance, threatening legal action and judicial reviews against Committee decisions if the former did not work.

Scotsman 8 January 1999 Independent watchdog for lawyers proposedLaw Society’s reversal of prosecution helped bring consumer led reforms to regulation of lawyers. The Andrew Penman case, which clearly should have went to the Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal as a prosecution, with Mr Penman being struck off, but did not, through the Law Society’s determination to “Save Private Penman” as some have said over the years, did bring gains to consumers in terms of revealing the thoroughly corrupt practices of self regulation carried out by the Law Society of Scotland, and its will to keep such practices secret, and of course, long lasting until even the present day.

Would Granny Swear by the Law Society - The Herald June 5 2006Douglas Mill, brought down by his anti-client memos, and relentless policies to save crooked lawyer Andrew Penman from prosecution. ‘Saving Private Penman” helped bring two [costly] Scottish Parliamentary inquiries into regulation of the legal profession, the first one Chaired by Christine Grahame (a dud – the enquiry, I refer to, of course) and the second, chaired by David Davidson MSP, which after hearing of even more revelations of secret anti-client behaviour such as the Douglas Mill ‘memo’gate affair’, brought to light by the now Cabinet Chief John Swinney, resulted in the passage of the Legal Profession & Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007, which created the hapless and Law Society controlled Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, which would have been good, had perhaps someone such as John Swinney managed its formation process, instead of the hapless Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, who simply allowed the Law Society to pull all the strings, and fill the SLCC with a slew of Pinnochios whose noses stretch from here to the planet Pluto.

Jury  still out on law in the dock - The Scotsman 2 March 1998Law Society covered up details of decision not to prosecute Andrew Penman. The failure to prosecute Andrew Penman for offences which many solicitors since have been prosecuted and even struck off for, some even sent to jail such as ex solicitor Michael Karus, still reverberates around the legal profession, and has given clients the strength to complain against many a crooked lawyer – a good thing. Penman has also shed a much needed light on the very secretive nature of Scotland’s legal profession and how the Law Society of Scotland controls, or denies access to justice to anyone it so feels like intimidating. Again, another plus, if a costly one to Scotland, as generally one can conclude, the Scottish legal profession are not a very trustworthy bunch, either in legal service to their clients, or when it comes to regulating their own colleagues.

Here, at the request of several law students who are studying ‘regulation’ of the legal profession in Scotland, is the full report on Borders Solicitor Andrew Penman of Stormonth Darling Solicitors, Kelso. I would certainly not recommend anyone use that law firm, as reading the following will reveal.

Law Society of Scotland report on solicitor Andrew Penman Stormonth Darling Kelso Page 1Law Society investigating lawyer found that Andrew Penman had tried to fake the files. The Law Society report said : “The reporter had found it extremely difficult to obtain from the file a clear picture of what had taken place in the executry. The files had not been well kept and it was noted that throughout the files there were correspondence and telephone notes which were not in chronological order. It was noted that at several points there was correspondence which appeared not to have been dealt with and not to have been put on file as it was received but to have been put on at a later date. The reporter noted a number of' instances which suggested that correspondence had simply been accumulated off the file and then dealt with in a fevered bout of activity in order to deal with matters which had long been delayed. The reporter noted there was also evidence of what appeared to be a bungled and unsuccessful attempt to put the file into order. Correspondence of July 1990 and July 1991 had been put on the file at a point which clearly related to July 1992.“

“The reporter noted that the files disclosed numerous lengthy and unexplained delays and a repeated failure to respond to correspondence. There were dozens of letters on the files apologizing to third parties for delays in dealing with executry matters. These delays in many cases amounted to several months and in the case of the capital taxes office there were several delays, one of 18 months.”

Law Society of Scotland report on solicitor Andrew Penman Stormonth Darling Kelso Page 2Law Society investigating lawyer found Andrew Penman deliberately mislead the Royal Bank of Scotland, amounting to professional misconduct. Page two of the Law Society report said : “The reporter noted there was a complete failure on the part of Messrs. P. & J. Stormonth-Darling to deal with this matter. They completely failed to acknowledge the instructions they had received from the Royal Bank in this connection and failed to take any steps to deal with the matter. The reporter was of the view that the substantial and unnecessary delays which had taken place in the executry might amount not only to an inadequate professional service on the part of Messrs. P.& J. Stormonth Darling but professional misconduct on the part of Mr Penman the solicitor dealing with the matter up until the time the complaint was lodged with the Law Society on 17th October 1994. Further the reporter was of the view that the apparent deliberate attempt to mislead the Royal Bank in regard to the Banco di Roma account may amount to professional misconduct.”

The Law Society investigating lawyer went onto demand a prosecution of Andrew Penman, saying : “In respect of the extraordinary delays and the repeated failures to respond to correspondence and the apparent, deliberate attempt to mislead the Royal Bank the reporter was of the view that the professional misconduct was such that it would warrant prosecution before the Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal The reporter was or the view that there had clearly been an inadequate professional service but in the, event of a referral to the Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal this would be incorporated into the complaint.”

Law Society of Scotland report on solicitor Andrew Penman Stormonth Darling Kelso Page 3Law Society Complaints Committee said Andrew Penman mislead the Royal Bank, was a failure at handling an executry. The Committee’s consideration of the investigating lawyer’s findings revealed : “The Committee expressed grave concern at the way that this executry had been handled by Mr. Penman and the extraordinary delays and the complete failure to deal with correspondence in an adequate manner, The Committee were of the: view that there: had been very poor attention paid to the administration of this estate and that whilst the complainer's uncertainty in certain matters might have caused some confusion there was a general lack of effort on the part of the solicitors to deal with matters in a reasonable manner.. It was noted in connection with the proposed loan by the Royal Bank. to the complainer there was a complete and utter failure to deal with the matter in any way or even to acknowledge the instructions. In connection with the Banco di Roma account the Committee noted the failure on the part of Mr. Penman to deal with matters in a reasonable way. They were particularly concerned at the terms of the letter written by Mr. Penman to the Royal Bank on 29th September 1992 which appeared to be an attempt to mislead the Royal Bank into believing that matters were being actively dealt with when they were not.”

“The Committee concurred with the views of the reporter in this matter indicating that the apparent attempt to mislead the Royal Bank persuaded them that Mr Penman's acting in the matter were so serious and reprehensible as to amount to professional misconduct.”

“The Committee thereafter considered whether the professional misconduct was such that it would warrant referral to the Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal. The Committee were of the view that the administration of the executry had been so appallingly badly done as to take the issue out of service into that of conduct and coupled with the apparent attempt to mislead the Royal Bank the conduct was such that it would warrant prosecution before the Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal. “

Law Society Complaints Committee decided that Andrew Penman should be prosecuted : “The Committee were of the view that Mr, Penman's acting in respect of the extra-ordinary delays and failure to progress the administration of the executry and in apparently misleading the Royal Bank of Scotland were so serious and reprehensible as to amount to professional misconduct. The Committee determined to recommend to Council that Mr. Penman be prosecuted before the Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal in relation to the professional misconduct and the service provided and any other matter which the Fiscal feels appropriate.”

Law Society of Scotland report on solicitor Andrew Penman Stormonth Darling Kelso Page 4Andrew Penman begged the Complaints Committee not to prosecute, citing personal humiliation in the media as an excuse, while his legal representative at the Committee, Mr James Ness used his influence among the Committee members to derail the decision to prosecute : “Written representations were then made as to why Mr Penman should not be prosecuted. It was pointed out that the action of the complainer in referring matters to the media prior to the complaint being considered Mr Penman's natural right to have the Tribunal or the Society decide whether the case was deemed fit for publicity had been denied. As a result of the complaint, and newspaper report Mr Penman had suffered personally and this had been a considerable punishment in itself. It was argued that a reference to the Tribunal would result in a fine and substantial cost to Mr Penman with little or no purpose beyond what the Society could achieve using its own powers given that the Society would be able to order a waiver of part or all of the substantial fee which could be charged for work done together with a compensation award of up to £1,000.00.”

A variety of further excuses were presented by Andrew Penman, through his legal agent Mr Ness, which persuaded the Committee not to prosecute, : “It was also pointed out that the complaint was from a beneficiary and not from the executor in the estate with whom Mr Penman had been working to resolve matters. The Committee considered the representations which had been made. The Committee were of the view that Mr Penman's dealings with the matter undoubtedly amounted to professional misconduct. They thereafter considered whether in light of the representations which had been made the scale of the misconduct could be said to be so serious as to justify prosecution or whether a reprimand would be more appropriate. The Committee noted that Mr Penman clearly accepted that matters had not been dealt with in a proper manner by him and that there had been delays in progressing matters.”

The Complaints Committee, arm-twisted by senior Law Society official James Ness, and lacking any equivalent representation for my points, then changed their verdict to save Mr Penman so he could ruin some more unsuspecting clients : “Having re-considered the matter and taking into account the representations which had been made the Committee were unanimously of the view that whilst Mr Penman's acting amounted to professional misconduct they were not such that would warrant a prosecution and a reprimand would be more appropriate. The Committee therefore determined to withdraw their recommendation for prosecution and to substitute a provisional finding of professional misconduct warranting a reprimand.”

Law Society of Scotland report on solicitor Andrew Penman Stormonth Darling Kelso Page 5 & 6Complaints Committee accused Andrew Penman of Professional Misconduct, and did nothing after Law Society intervention. The Complaints Committee in the lead up to their decision, began to excuse their change of mind over prosecution, stating : “It was noted that written representations had been received from the complainer dated 5th and 20th July. Representations had been received from Messrs. P & J Stormonth Darling dated 25th July and the Committee Secretary advised that Mr Penman had confirmed that he accepted the Committee's preliminary view on matters i.e. that he be reprimanded in respect of the professional misconduct. Having considered the written representations the Committee found no reason to depart from its previous view and, therefore, confirmed their previous findings.”

In addition to the swathe of excuses to explain their failure to prosecute, the Complaints Committee even claimed there had been no financial loss to the estate, which had in reality been ruined through the actions of both Andrew Penman as the legal agent, and Borders Accountant Norman Howitt, acting as the Executor. The Law Society were therefore unable to explain the reduction of a 300K capital residual estate to zero.

The official decision of the Complaints Committee read as follows : “THE COMMITTEE HAVING CONSIDERED THE FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS WHICH HAD BEEN MADE FOUND NO REASON TO DEPART FROM ITS PREVIOUS VIEW AND ACCORDINGLY FIND THAT THE CONDUCT OF MR PENMAN IN RESPECT OF THE EXTRAORDINARY DELAYS AND FAILURES TO PROGRESS THE ADMINISTRATIONOF THE EXECUTRY AND IN MISLEADING THE ROYAL BANK OFSCOTLAND WERE SO SERIOUS AND REPREHENSIBLE AS TO AMOUNT TO PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT. THEY REPRIMANDED HIM.”

“IN ADDITION THE COMMITTEE FOUND THAT AN INADEQUATE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE HAD BEEN PROVIDED BY MESSRS. P & J. STORMONTH DARLING IN RESPECT OF THE EXTRAORDINARY DELAYS AND FAILURE TO PROGRESS MATTERS DURING THE PERIOD FROM THE DATE OF DEATH TO OCTOBER 1994 WHEN MR PENMAN CEASED DEALING WITH THE MATTER. THE COMMITTEE DIRECTED THAT THE SOLICITORS SHOULD ONLY BE ENTITLED TO CHARGE A FEE IN RESPECT OF THAT PERIOD TO A MAXIMUM OF £3,000 PLUS VAT IN TERMS OF SECTION 42A(2)(a)(ii) OF THE 1980 ACT. IN ADDITION THE COMMITTEE DETERMINED THAT THE SOLICITORS SHOULD MAKE A PAYMENT OF £1,000 TO THE ESTATE BY WAY OFCOMPENSATION IN TERMS OF SECTION 42A (2)(d) OF THE 1980 ACT.”

As a matter of record, the £1,000 payment Mr Penman was ordered to make, was taken by Norman Howitt, the Estate Executor, to pay bills Mr Penman and Mr Howitt had accumulated themselves on failed advertising.

As a result of the Complaints Committee’s spineless decision, Borders solicitor Andrew Penman was never prosecuted for his actions, and was allowed to continue working at Stormonth Darling Solicitors, Kelso to this day. Insiders at the Law Society of Scotland have confirmed numerous complaints have been made by other clients against the Borders Law firm Stormonth Darling, since the Complaints Committee’s decision not to prosecute Mr Penman all those years ago.

You can read more about Borders Accountant Norman Howitt’s part in the Executry, and more, here : A picture is worth a thousand words - Images of fraud reveal corruption & deceit by lawyers & accountants in the Scottish Borders and you can read about how the Law Society of Scotland prevent clients being able to recover financial damages or take any legal action against crooked lawyers such as Andrew Penman, and the Law Society itself, here : Law Society intervention in claims 'commonplace' as ex Chief admits Master Policy protects solicitors against clients

Looking on the bright side, much good came from the Penman case, even if the bad remained.

What 'Penman' did, was alert the public to the fact the Law Society of Scotland, as a regulator, are thoroughly corrupt, as is the Scottish legal profession, throughout its entire fabric. No solicitor will stand against another, despite claims to the contrary, and those consumers who dare take issue with their ‘crooked lawyers’ face losing any right to access to justice, simply because lawyers consider it their right to fleece their clients, when needs must. Take my advice – don't let Andrew Penman happen to you …

129 comments:

Anonymous said...

Punchy reporting.Looks like you and the Scotsman kept the Law Society busy for awhile!
Ruin some more lawyers whenever you feel like it Peter.I think your work is great!

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Lynne Sim will now be left wondering why she was even charged given what Penman got up to.

Anonymous said...

"In all of these cases, while solicitors had been represented before Complaints Committees, clients had been denied equivalent representation."

Obviously grounds for appeal but as its the Law Society no dice.Could be a lot of people involved in this by what you say.

Anonymous said...

sounds like a case of fat brown envelopes for all the week kneed committee members

Anonymous said...

Little doubt he should have went before the SSDT
Probably should be charged with the RBS deception part - good you have that in writing.

Anonymous said...

Stormonth Darling Solicitors and Estate Agents
Stormonth Darling are a long established legal practice in the Scottish Borders town of Kelso with a modern progressive outlook.
www.stormonthdarling.co.uk/

A Dick Turpin outlook !

Anonymous said...

robbers

Anonymous said...

What 'Penman' did, was alert the public to the fact the Law Society of Scotland, as a regulator, are thoroughly corrupt, as is the Scottish legal profession, throughout its entire fabric. No solicitor will stand against another, despite claims to the contrary, and those consumers who dare take issue with their ‘crooked lawyers’ face losing any right to access to justice, simply because lawyers consider it their right to fleece their clients, when needs must. Take my advice – don't let Andrew Penman happen to you …
===================================
Peter forgive me for my language on your blog, but all lawyers are bastards. You said " No solicitor will stand against another", and you are 100% correct because every law firm will welcome you with open arms until they find out you want one of their brethern prosecuted. Bastards that is what they are. There is another reason. If a lawyer sued another lawyer, the Law Society of Scotland would EXCOMMUNICATE THEM. This last term in this context means end the practicing certificate. One lawyer dealt with my relatives case, I hate all of them, and Peter, Penman that crooked bastard has caused the Law Society, and Douglas Mill's dearly.

People who get treated like S**T say F**K this, we will fight. You are doing a brilliant job Peter. All the best, and I hope one day you are compensated for what Penman did to you, and for what happened to your family.

Anonymous said...

I know what I'd do with crooked lawyers if they did that to me

Anonymous said...

It seems to have went fine until the Committee got their hands on it.I'd guess it was never the Law Society's intention to prosecute and a few quiet words in the ears changed their minds.
Disgusting all the same.

Anonymous said...

lots of headlines - no wonder the law society hates your guts

Anonymous said...

The Yanks should let us use Guantanamo bay to house all these crooked scum

Anonymous said...

lawyers are the real terrorists of society there are many bin ladens on these complaints committees

Anonymous said...

Penman's excuses are ludicrous and the committee's conduct is just as bad but as you point out has probably happened to plenty other complainers who are yet to find out.

Anonymous said...

Penman should be made to carry a big sign saying "I AM A CROOKED LAWYER"

Anonymous said...

forgot to say hope all clients know about this crooked lawyer Penman so they avoid him

Anonymous said...

Shocked you got that report because the Law Society denied me mine and now the slcc are messing me about because they wont look at it and the bastard lawyer gets away with it just like Penamn

Anonymous said...

I've had the displeasure of meeting James Ness a number of times so have no trouble believing what you have written.

Ness and his kind are the reason many solicitors would rather be rid of the Law Society and little crawlers such as Penman.

Anonymous said...

Yes I wont be letting Andrew Penman happen to me

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

sounds like a case of fat brown envelopes for all the week kneed committee members

3:46 PM

Just what I was thinking

Anonymous said...

The authorities can protect as many lawyers as they want but THE PUBLIC WILL DECIDE ON THEIR INTEGRITY. The reality is that none of them can be trusted even with their children's piggy banks.

Anonymous said...

Sadly the Law Society and its poodle (the SLCC) apply the same modus operandi today.

Politicians must end self regulation now.

Anonymous said...

If this is what we can expect when complaining against a lawyer why not just take the boyz in the hood approach ?

Anonymous said...

They must breed the crooked lawyers in the Borders by the sounds of this !

Anonymous said...

“The Committee expressed grave concern at the way that this executry had been handled by Mr. Penman and the extraordinary delays and the complete failure to deal with correspondence in an adequate manner, The Committee were of the: view that there: had been very poor attention paid to the administration of this estate and that whilst the complainer's uncertainty in certain matters might have caused some confusion there was a general lack of effort on the part of the solicitors to deal with matters in a reasonable manner.
===================================
Grave concern, an Penman was not prosecuted. I really believe this criminal should be behind bars, the softly softly approach is why injustice continues, and people must never trust lawyers. He should have been christened Andrew Conman.

Mill paid the price, like I said Douglas, you reap what you sow.

Anonymous said...

Andrew Penman begged the Complaints Committee not to prosecute, citing personal humiliation in the media as an excuse, while his legal representative at the Committee, Mr James Ness used his influence among the Committee members to derail the decision to prosecute :
=====================================
They should both be jailed and weld the door shut.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Punchy reporting. Looks like you and the Scotsman kept the Law Society busy for awhile!

Ruin some more lawyers whenever you feel like it Peter.I think your work is great!
===================================
So do I Peter think your work is great, these people have omnipotent power, no checks and balances, and that is the consequence of self regulation.
Clearly lawyers are the scum of the earth.

Anonymous said...

Lawyers, professional unaccountable theives, this is the reality.

age before beauty said...

kind of odd that some anonymous committee sits down decides to prosecute the lawyer because he's such a crook then changes their mind and allows him to charge £3,000 for ruining the estate ! WFT ?

Anonymous said...

You may publish this comment if you like because I am very alarmed at what you write Mr Cherbi.

I have a child at Kelso High School where Stormonth Darling sponsor an English award.

I do not think a law firm who are so corrupt should be allowed to have anything to do with schools or influence children.I will be writing into the Minister for Education about it as I fear the local authority will blank my concerns.
DC

Anonymous said...

When people what is happening here, they will realise this profession have been robbing people for hundreds on years.

I am glad many of the great composers, changed their studies from law to music.

Anonymous said...

How he is allowed to be a lawyer I dont know.Its disgusting.How many more did he do the same to I wonder ?

Anonymous said...

Is there anyone with a shred of honesty in the Law Society, no chance.

Anonymous said...

That Committee must be full of scum to let a crook off the hook like they did

Anonymous said...

How did you get this ? I have complained to the SLCC and they refuse to send me any report from the Law Society about my solicitor.
If you were able to get a copy of yours I think I should also get one.Can you help me please ?

Anonymous said...

Thank you for giving us an insight into what goes on behind the Law Society closed doors and now we know it we should avoid using these criminals.

Anonymous said...

It all sounds a bit like the Iraq inquiry where we know Blair and co were lying about the WMDS and everything else but nothing happens at the end of it.Typical but very sleazy.

Anonymous said...

8:48pm

I have a child at Kelso High School where Stormonth Darling sponsor an English award.

I do not think a law firm who are so corrupt should be allowed to have anything to do with schools or influence children."

You have GOT to be kidding right ? Penman's company gives out awards to kids at Schools ????

Christ thats as bad as the paedophile that ran the teaching website the other week.Bloody disgusting!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

How did you get this ? I have complained to the SLCC and they refuse to send me any report from the Law Society about my solicitor.

If you were able to get a copy of yours I think I should also get one.Can you help me please ?

THE SCOTTISH LEGAL COMPLAINTS COMMISSION ARE CRIMINALS, A LAW SOCIETY FROMT FOR PROTECTING LAWYERS.

Anonymous said...

Peter
I admire the way you fight against these criminals and publish all this stuff so we can try and dodge it.Mr Penman really is a crook of the worst kind.

Keep up the good work !

Anonymous said...

Obviously Penman is a crook from that report but the committee are even bigger crooks for doing nothing about it

Anonymous said...

Really amazing this guy is still allowed to practice

So much for the standards of the old country lol

Anonymous said...

i dont think the committee even needed bribing as they were probably all lawyers anyway

s c u m

Anonymous said...

The opening words of the reporter are enough to see he considered Penman a liar from the outset.

Anyone who attempts to alter a file before or during an investigation against them has something to hide.A solicitor who did such a thing should never be trusted again.I'm sure you can all see the common sense in that.

I tend to think that when a solicitor becomes known as a 'crooked lawyer' which Mr Penman definitely now is they tend to attract crooked clients due to their fame.

Perhaps its time for Mr Penman's current roll of clients to face a few audits and investigations as well as Penman himself.

Anonymous said...

I am a solicitor.
I think Andrew Penman should have been struck off.

Anonymous said...

so the Law Society by saving Penman they shot themselves in the foot - serves them right

now everyone hates lawyers which is as it should be

Anonymous said...

"I am a solicitor.
I think Andrew Penman should have been struck off."

So do I.How many others has his firm ripped off I wonder ? What a disgrace of a report and still allowed to work ! Who in their right mind would use a lawyer as bad as this !

Anonymous said...

9:02am

Clearly the reporter wasnt fooled by Mr Penman's attempt to put the file in order by shoving papers into it.
If anyone in our office did that they would be out straight away.

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr Cherbi
I read in the paper of your case with Andrew Penman.

I live near to Ladykirk Estate and I know quite a bit about Stormonth Darling in Kelso and what they do to their clientele.I would not recommend them to anyone and pleased to see you put all that happened to good use.

Best wishes.

Graham Farquhar.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

The opening words of the reporter are enough to see he considered Penman a liar from the outset.

Anyone who attempts to alter a file before or during an investigation against them has something to hide.A solicitor who did such a thing should never be trusted again.I'm sure you can all see the common sense in that.

I tend to think that when a solicitor becomes known as a 'crooked lawyer' which Mr Penman definitely now is they tend to attract crooked clients due to their fame.

Perhaps its time for Mr Penman's current roll of clients to face a few audits and investigations as well as Penman himself.

YOU MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE LAW SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

I am a solicitor.

I think Andrew Penman should have been struck off.

WELL SAID, BECAUSE THIS HAS RUINED ALL OF YOUR REPUTATIONS.

Anonymous said...

AOL NEWS.

Fury as GP escapes being struck off
Last Updated: Friday, 29 January 2010, 08:48 GMT

Dr Jane Barton, despite being found 'guilty', has been allowed to continue working as a doctor
Dr Jane Barton, despite being found 'guilty', has been allowed to continue working as a doctor

A doctor who prescribed "potentially hazardous" levels of drugs to elderly patients who later died has escaped being struck off.

Dr Jane Barton will be allowed to continue working as a doctor despite being found guilty of serious professional misconduct, a fitness to practise panel at the General Medical Council decided.

Relatives of the patients reacted furiously and walked out of the hearing in central London. Iain Wilson, the son of Robert Wilson, shouted: "You should hang your head in shame."

The panel found Dr Barton guilty of multiple incidents of serious professional misconduct.
===================================
THE INEVITABLE RESULT OF SELF REGULATION.

Anonymous said...

I am another one who cant get the slcc to hand over any Law Society report they are supposed to have done on my complaint.

We should be allowed to attend these crooked committees and see exactly what they get up to rather than it all being in secret.

You should also find out who is on these Committees and publish their details so we know who to blame when crooked lawyers get let off like Penman.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

I am a solicitor.
I think Andrew Penman should have been struck off.
11:05 AM
=====================================
Well said Mr or Miss solicitor, but you are saying this because of the scandal. I have no doubt it would be hush, hush if the story was not in the public domain.

PEOPLE OF SCOTLAND TRUST NO LAWYER. THEY HAVE A NASTY HABIT OF SEPERATING YOU AND YOUR MORTGAGE MONEY OR WILL. YOU COMPLAIN AND YOUR LAWYER IS TREATED LIKE PENMAN, YOUR MONEY IS GONE.

Anonymous said...

Never read anything like this before but thanks for posting it.I will make sure my family never gets hurt by any of these lawyer thugs.

Anonymous said...

There should be a public database of all these reports against lawyers so clients can know who not to go to for their legal work.

Think its a good idea Peter ?

Anonymous said...

I tend to think that when a solicitor becomes known as a 'crooked lawyer' which Mr Penman definitely now is they tend to attract crooked clients due to their fame.

Perhaps its time for Mr Penman's current roll of clients to face a few audits and investigations as well as Penman himself.

BY YOUR LOGIC AND THE LAW SOCIETIES CONSTANT FORGIVENESS OF ITS MEMBERS TRANSGRESSIONS ALL LAWYERS CLIENTS MUST BE CROOKED.

Anonymous said...

There is great stigma in being a lawyer. A law degree is a mark of shame, not an achievement.

Anonymous said...

The U Tube video of John Swinney exposing Pritchard, when he warned a law firm to protect itself. WHY IS PRITCHARD ALLOWED TO BE A SHERIFF?

The 18th Century Enlightenment when free thinkers started to challenge the church, weakened the church today. We now have a 21st Century Enlightenment where people en masse are distrusting lawyers, and think about the reasons why Lord Hamilton is answerable only to himself. A legal despot, in a despotic profession.

Lawyers Arthur are a corrupt scourge, there is plenty of evidence to support this. Lawyers must never be trusted. They rob clients and the Law Society and Mastermans quango protect the lawyer and injure the client again. These people call this a justice system, from the lawyers point of view it is a just us system who are accountable to no one.

The Court of Public Opinion Condemns all Lawyers, as thieving rats.

Anonymous said...

Now you've published that report I think common sense would tell anyone to keep away from this hood!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

There should be a public database of all these reports against lawyers so clients can know who not to go to for their legal work.

Correct, just like E Bay, the client checks feedback, then chooses the law firm. If the power that be will not protect clients we will protect ourselves.

Mr MacAskill would bring out a Gagging Act, like the 18th century establishment did to silence dissidents. Victory for free speech and ending self regulation.

Anonymous said...

Lawyers, think for a moment. What would you want done to a lawyer if you were the client on the receiving end, of this treatment. Perhaps this request is beyond your twisted minds?

Anonymous said...

Saving Penman, demonstrates what Law Society justice is about. Lawyers have formidable power, and the Penman case shows that the profession who demand respect in the courts, have contempt for the clients they mis-serve.

It should be illegal for the Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal to judge any lawyer. These people are ruining clients and getting a tap on the wrist. Lawyers judging lawyers is the same as MP's making up the rules on expenses. Open to abuse, and victimising the taxpayer and the client. Lawyers days for investigating their own are numbered.

The Douglan Mill's of this world would rather see a client in his or her grave, than prosecute one of their brotherhood. They are a club, and clubs exist for the benefit of members, not outsiders. This is why self regulation and justice against lawyers is impossible. Law Society justice is protecting a profession who are in the dock, as Mr Mill knows only too well.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

lots of headlines - no wonder the law society hates your guts.
-------------------------------------
It is not Peter's fault the Law Society hates his guts, it is the Legal Professions fault. There are countless more Scottish people hate the Law Society, and the Commission.

The Law Society are mendacious criminals hell bent of protecting all lawyers. Never in this country has a profession been the object of so much hatred, and they have brought this on themselves. They are garbage in human form.

Anonymous said...

Lawyers are simply evil.

Diary of Injustice said...

Thanks for all your comments on this article

The idea expressed for a database of complaints reports on solicitors is a very good point, one I will tackle in a later article.

Meanwhile, if anyone who has made a complaint to the Law Society of Scotland or SLCC, and wishes their report to be published, please send it in and I will see it gets attention, either online or, depending on the circumstances, in the press.

As a result of re-publishing the report on Andrew Penman, I have been approached by several people who, according to copies of reports into their own complaints, have similarly denied representation before a Law Society Complaints Committee while the solicitor was 'legally' represented by another Law Society official. I had known the practice was widespread but not that the same faces from the Law Society's upper echelons chose to represent their well established 'crooked colleagues' directly against the interests of their clients.

I will be reporting on these cases in a future article, but I find it quite sad that one of the lawyers concerned, who has written in the newspapers and given talks about clients not having a solicitor to represent them in court, is himself one of these solicitors who tried to get a colleague off the hook from a complaint, while the client was denied representation at the Complaints Committee - the same lawyer apparently arguing the client should not be represented ....

Terrible indeed that a lawyer should argue such a thing, apparently with the full backing of the Law Society of Scotland and not one question of dissent from any member of the particular Complaints Committee concerned ...

Anonymous said...

Good afternoon Peter, you said

"I will be reporting on these cases in a future article, but I find it quite sad that one of the lawyers concerned, who has written in the newspapers and given talks about clients not having a solicitor to represent them in court, is himself one of these solicitors who tried to get a colleague off the hook from a complaint, while the client was denied representation at the Complaints Committee - the same lawyer apparently arguing the client should not be represented ....

Terrible indeed that a lawyer should argue such a thing, apparently with the full backing of the Law Society of Scotland and not one question of dissent from any member of the particular Complaints Committee concerned" ...

Naturally with the legal establishments reputation for self protecting I am not surprised by this. It is beyond the bounds of any lawyer to ruin colleagues, and being denied representation at the complaints committee, mirrors what is happening in the high street and small town throughout Scotland.

It is like asking Heinrich Himmler to investigate the activities of the Einsatzgruppen (execution squads) on the Eastern front during WW II. A fair hearing against a self regulating profession is impossible. E Bay style databases, are the way forward, how can the John O'Donnell's deny corruption when most of their clients leave feedback to support it?

Self regulation as we see, it impossible, it is the vehicle for perpetual injustice against the people of Scotland. Great reporting.

Anonymous said...

Good afternoon Mr MacAskill,

I promise you that you will fail to protect your colleagues, because we the people of Scotland have right on our side against professional criminals. In my case the documents prove my lawyer is corrupt but the legal club, cannot stomach this fact.

They also cannot stomach the fact that clients, in many cases are smarter than supercillious lawyers, who hide their criminallity behind colleagues and the cancer of self regulation. You are fighting a losing battle Mr MacAskill, and I am sure deep down you know it.

I urge all members of the public to assume all lawyers are criminals until a database is set up which suggests otherwise. Client feedback is vital. The next move will be the Law Society attempting to make an E bay style feedback system illegal, and a move like that would speak volumes about the Society and it's ten thousand criminals.

Anonymous said...

Terrible indeed that a lawyer should argue such a thing, apparently with the full backing of the Law Society of Scotland and not one question of dissent from any member of the particular Complaints Committee concerned ...
-------------------------------------
Yes just like asking any law firm in Scotland to investigate your crooked lawyer. The Limitation Act states that people are time barred after three years, the Law Society of Scotland and its membership time barr clients for life from justice against a crooked lawyer. This is why all lawyers are criminals.

Anonymous said...

For the Law Society to operate a policy where solicitors were represented by lawyers at committees while the complainer was left without,is a breathtaking act of stupidity if they thought this would never get out.

Since you appear to have proved what happened all affected should be allowed the chance of their complaint re-investigated at least.

Anonymous said...

I have no doubt that lawyers would get an innocent member of the public jailed, when a lawyer was responsible for a murderer.

That is how loyal, and anti justice I believe lawyers are. They crucify all exept their own.

Anonymous said...

Most of the well established companies have rating systems for the products they sell, Halfords being one.

A rating system for lawyers is a brilliant idea, clean up their act of face what many clients have faced, financial ruin.

They cannot ruin our lifes if we do not go through their office doors.

Anonymous said...

Brilliant idea for a database on lawyers but I wouldn't trust if if you didn't run it just to be sure some lawyer or the Law Society weren't making the whole thing up.

Keep up the good work Peter!

Anonymous said...

Very interesting the part about the Law Society ordering around the Ombudsman and just goes to prove the whole system is set up to protect lawyers after they do as much bad to people like Penman did to you.

If I were you I'd be looking at moving people away from complaining to the Law Society and doing something much tougher but for reasons I'm sure you will guess I better stop there.

Hope you publish as I'm sure plenty others feel the same.

Anonymous said...

The dissidents against the legal profession are diminishing lawyers power daily. Any client feedback system must be free of lawyer influence. Law Society, you forgot to have a preventative measure in the LPLA Act against an E Bay type feedback system. We will stop the public going into the offices of the John O'Donnell's, and make as many law firms fail as possible. I am convinced every lawyer in Scotland has wronged clients to fear. Their days are numbered. E Bay style feedback can be summarised in two words, QUALITY CONTROL.

I was offered a pamphlet today at the Parkhead Forge. Lawyers wanted to represent me, if I had been mis-sold payments protection insurance. The person handing out the leaflets, was shocked at my hostility, I told him, typical lawyers, they want to represent those they can make money from, and crush their victims at the same time.

Anonymous said...

If I were you I'd be looking at moving people away from complaining to the Law Society and doing something much tougher but for reasons I'm sure you will guess I better stop there.


EXACTLY BYPASS THE LAW SOCIETY AND THE SCOTTISH LEGAL COMPLAINTS COMMISSION. E BAY FEEDBACK, THAT WILL REVEAL THE TRUTH THE LAW SOCIETY WANT TO HIDE. WHAT DO YOU THINK MR MILL? AFTER ALL YOU ARE THE MAN WITH PENMAN WHO TRIGGERED ALL OF THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE. AN E BAY STYLE SYSTEM WILL BRING CLIENTS TOGETHER, AND PARALLELS IN THEIR CASES WILL BE SELF EVIDENT.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

I dont see why a lawyer has to be "legally" represented at a complaints hearing by his own governing body.Stitch up!

Anonymous said...

The Law Society stall all the time on complaints and control the commission too. They are the master protectors of Scotland's lawyers.

These people are not fit to receive complaints from the public. They are professional whitewashers, who protect professional criminals. Mr Douglas Mill is a perfect example of this.

Anonymous said...

E Bay style databases, are the way forward, how can the John O'Donnell's deny corruption when most of their clients leave feedback to support it?
=====================================
More importantly, how can he remain practising as a lawyer with a feedback system like E Bay? He will be driven out of the legal services industry.

Anonymous said...

Lol what a crook!
Why wasnt this guy charged with the bank fraud/deception thing ? and what about all that with the inland revenue ?
I think the cops must have taken a holiday on this one!

Anonymous said...

The day is coming when a lawyer ruins a client, the Law Society, SLCC have lost control and the ruined client will write

XXXXXXXXXX Solicitors ruined my finances, were slow to carry out instructions, and helped the defenders by doing nothing to make their situation difficult.


YYYYYYYYY Solicitors, stole money when I made them executor of my will.

Penman robbed my family, he is a criminal the Law Society of Scotland would not prosecute him. A case which demonstrates in the strongest terms the Law Society are as corrupt as Penman.

The Law Society of Scotland delayed my complaint as much as my lawyer delayed proceedings in court.

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission play pass the buck with the Law Society, and visa versa. I got nowhere.

To the ten thousand, and Mill, Yelland, Jack, Pritchard, the days for the so called professional organisations, a house of criminals and a criminal quango, are limited. This will affect your incomes too, because your organisations will be bypassed. There is no point in complaining to you, like a black man complaining about injustice to the Klu Klux Klan. We will take your power to self regulate because MacAskill KILLS of any attempt at reform.

Anonymous said...

Saving Private Penman will result in the Fall of the Law Society of Scotland. Have a nice day you wicked corrupt bastards. If I had my way you would be fed to the Taliban.

Anonymous said...

Money oils the wheels of corruption, that is why reform is not of paramount importance to the Justice Committee.

Anonymous said...

I can see from reading this report it is no use giving a lawyer any power over someone's will because they will take it all for themselves.

Be warned everyone your lawyer will be as much a robber as this one was and your family will get nothing.

Anonymous said...

And politicians of every major party in Scotland continue to "see no evil, hear no evil, do no evil".

Anonymous said...

Self regulation is an affront to justice, as the Law Society prefectly demonstrated in the Penman case. This is the norm with lawyers.

Anonymous said...

I formerly worked on 'a' Scottish newspaper which featured Peter's story about Mr Penman and the Law Society.

One day we got a tip a "well respected" member of a complaints committee had used his work for the Law Society to successfully get himself off a drink driving charge.He was six times over the limit,one of the arresting officers then told us what happened at the station where the person then went onto threaten the careers of the arresting officers.

A couple of us built up the story after getting the ok,expecting it to be published.The next day my boss came up to me and showed me what the paper's lawyers had said which was basically we would face legal action if the story was printed yet the facts stood up.A call had also came in from the Law Society threatening similar after they had heard we doorstepped their committee member for a photo & comment.End result was no story and a lot of hassle.

A few days later one of the lawyers called up, arranged to have lunch with me.He made veiled threats over my future employment if I ever covered such a story again.I went onto last six years and saw many tips against 'crooked lawyers' and the Law Society treated in exactly the same way and I'm willing to bet it still goes on.

Keep up the great work Peter as many have said before.

Diary of Injustice said...

# Anonymous @ 7.24pm

Please contact me with more details of that incident you mentioned regarding the Complaints Committee member.

I will happily publish any material linking criminal activity, charges etc directly to the Law Society ...

Thanks also to the rest of you for your comments, I will be progressing the database idea soon.

Also, a big thanks to those who have contacted me over the weekend with details of reports the Law Society compiled on their complaints.

I feel the best way forward is to publish all this material naming all the lawyers, law firms, all the Law Society officials and Committee Members so we know exactly who are allowing corrupt lawyers to continue in practice, posing a danger to all of us.

Anonymous said...

So there's a turn up for the books ! Criminals sitting on the bloody committees that let these lawyers off !

Come on Peter do these bastards in with some huge publicity !

Anonymous said...

I told my dad to read this and he says he will be into his lawyers office next week to cancel his will.

Anonymous said...

Clearly there is something fundamentally wrong in Scotland when this kind of thing is allowed to happen on an apparently regular basis.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

I formerly worked on 'a' Scottish newspaper which featured Peter's story about Mr Penman and the Law Society.

One day we got a tip a "well respected" member of a complaints committee had used his work for the Law Society to successfully get himself off a drink driving charge.He was six times over the limit,one of the arresting officers then told us what happened at the station where the person then went onto threaten the careers of the arresting officers.

A couple of us built up the story after getting the ok,expecting it to be published.The next day my boss came up to me and showed me what the paper's lawyers had said which was basically we would face legal action if the story was printed yet the facts stood up.A call had also came in from the Law Society threatening similar after they had heard we doorstepped their committee member for a photo & comment.End result was no story and a lot of hassle.

A few days later one of the lawyers called up, arranged to have lunch with me.He made veiled threats over my future employment if I ever covered such a story again.I went onto last six years and saw many tips against 'crooked lawyers' and the Law Society treated in exactly the same way and I'm willing to bet it still goes on.

Keep up the great work Peter as many have said before.

7:24 PM

I expect it still goes on.Which newspaper did you work for when this happened ?

I'd like to know so I can avoid buying the cowardly rag.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 7:24 PM

I am not shocked by this, the Law Society of Scotland are the mafia.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

I told my dad to read this and he says he will be into his lawyers office next week to cancel his will.

PLEASE TELL EVERYONE ABOUT SCOTLANDS MAFIA, THE POWERFULLY INJUST LAW SOCIETY FO SCOTLAND.

Anonymous said...

Clearly Mr Penman missed out on the Law Society lecture "How to falsify your files successfully"

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 7:24 PM

So these criminals want a person kept on the road who could kill members of the public. The report by Dr Melville and his colleague into the Law Societies Master Policy was done because Scottish academics were afraid of persecution from the Law Society, so they could not do it.

The Law Society threatening journalists and the police, is dangerous, they must have their power stripped off them. They do not stand for justice, they are mafia dictators. I think the Law Society are doing more to ruin the reputation of Scottish lawyers, than anything else. Their power is dangerous because there are no check and balances to protect the public, police, and journalists.

Anonymous said...

Very interesting how the Law Society wrote up that report.They tried to do the same by claiming there was no loss to my late husband's estate.He died with assets of over £420,000 according to the documents yet his lawyer and executor came to me demanding I put in £14,500 of my own money to pay debts which never existed.

While all this was going on both the lawyer and executor bought new houses and a letter from my husband's bank confirms the executor used my late husband's estate as collateral for a loan.I went into see the bank manager who, after hearing I had complained to the Law Society, demanded the letter he had sent confirming the loan be returned immediately which I did not.I have 4 letters from the banks legal department asking me to return the letter or they say they will take legal action but I have never replied and no legal action has taken place.

It is very strange to me the bank is trying to cover up the executor's loan using my late husband's estate which the Law Society claimed suffered no loss but is now negative equity.Clearly the lawyer and the executor helped themselves which I see looks the case in your report involving Mr Penman and the accountant.

I have spoken to a journalist on what happened but he says it will be difficult to get it published as the Law Society is usually warned by the lawyers a story is going in which they stop so that also backs up what another comment said.

Can I do anything against these horrid lawyers ?

Anonymous said...

This is how criminals let each other get away with it.All the committee members must be criminals agreeing to hear a case where one side represented the other not.Criminals!Call it the Criminal Society of Scotland!

Anonymous said...

I have spoken to a journalist on what happened but he says it will be difficult to get it published as the Law Society is usually warned by the lawyers a story is going in which they stop so that also backs up what another comment said. THE LAW SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND HAVE MUCH IN COMMON WITH THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST GERMAN WORKERS PARTY, THE NAZI'S. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION IN THIS COUNTRY. THEY CONTROL THE PRESS SO THE SHOULD HAVE A PROPAGANDA MINISTER LIKE JOSEPH GOEBBELS. THESE PEOPLE ARE DANGEROUS, AND THEY MUST BE STOPPED. THEY ARE RUNNING THE COUNTRY, THEY CRUSH FREE SPEECH TO PROTECT THEIR OWN.

Can I do anything against these horrid lawyers ?

Anonymous said...

Who gave the Law Society power to censor the press and why isnt Penman in Jail ?

Anonymous said...

As the horror story outlined in the 2.35pm comment confirms this criminal abuse is allowed to continue daily, and the UK media are complicit in it by allowing themselves to be cowed into doing nothing to even report such matters.

Demonstrations such as the March for Justice are a useful means of protest - no point in seeking the assistance of MSPs or MPs, many of whom are.........lawyers.

Anonymous said...

Without doubt the Law Society deserves all the bad publicity it gets over their committee exoneration of Penman but it also shows you just how corrupt the rest of the profession is by standing back in silence.

How many times has this happened before ? Probably thousands of times yet to be revealed.

Anonymous said...

Out of interest who did Marsh assign to represent Penman ?

Anonymous said...

Law Society of Scotland, a cesspit of evil. These people have a statutory ability to cover corruption, simply through self regulation.

Anonymous said...

It is the moral responsibility of all Peter's readers to protect their families, friends and colleagues, by telling them what is happening under the prejudicial so called justice system we have here. Apart from all of the plundering of clients accounts, this sinsiter coercion of police officers by threatening their careers and journalists careers to cover up drink driving must be stopped. They have no right to threaten the police or the press. If a person is a member of Scotland's old boys club Law
Society, they can drink and drive. Very dangerous.

Anonymous said...

I think you did very well to get through all this,Peter.I can imagine Penman and a few others wanted you dead but whatever they did you survived to tell the whole story and make some good out of it for the rest of us.

Well done and best of luck in all you do.

Anonymous said...

2:35pm said "It is very strange to me the bank is trying to cover up the executor's loan using my late husband's estate which the Law Society claimed suffered no loss but is now negative equity.Clearly the lawyer and the executor helped themselves which I see looks the case in your report involving Mr Penman and the accountant."

Its not strange to me at all - Banks do lots of business with lawyers so the letter you got was probably sent in error.Dont give it back,give it to Peter to publish along with the names of all those who ripped off your late husband's will.

Diary of Injustice said...

# Anonymous @ 2.35pm

Could you contact me with more details of your case ?

# Anonymous @ 8.16pm

Simpson & Marwick & Tods Murray, along with the Law Society Department of Dirty Tricks.

# Anonymous @ 9.24pm

A measure of how afraid the Law Society was when I began writing my blog in 2006 came two weeks later with the attack on Leslie Cumming - which everyone has now figured out was an inside job.

If they can do it to their own, well ...

Thanks for all your comments on this article so far ... I'm still going through all the information sent in, cases, reports etc and it will take some time to get back to you all but whatever I can do to help I will try.

Publicity is certainly a good way forward, naming & shaming all these solicitors, law firms, Law Society staff, Committee Members, etc so everyone knows exactly who they are dealing with, and their track record of whitewashing complaints against members of the legal profession. The more reports into 'crooked lawyers' that are published, the better for consumers ... and for the campaign to bring fully independent regulation to the legal profession in Scotland.

Anonymous said...

Yes,have to admit I wondered if they might try to do you in because of all the heat you've given them.

Keep up the good work kid and watch your back.

Anonymous said...

Peter, your support grows by the hour. You are a great writer and investigator on these issues and people must continue to spread the word. Tell everyone about Peter's vital work.

Anonymous said...

Peter Gabriel's words on injustice concerning Steve Biko, applies here. Steve paid with his life,

Law Society, As Gabriel sang about Steve "you can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire, once the flame begins to catch the wind will blow it higher" Public opinion Law Society will crush you.

We are at the stage where you cannot blow out any candles. you tried to snuff out Mr Cummings, and you better not touch Peter, then you will meet your real nemisis.

Victory over corrupt self regulators is going to happen, destiny and justice point the way there.

All the best to Peter and his supporters.

Anonymous said...

This Penman guy and his Law Society (a club ?) would probably end up in Federal prison over here but somehow the same lawyers control your justice system.
Sick !

Anonymous said...

Justice and lawyers are mutually exclusive.

Anonymous said...

A measure of how afraid the Law Society was when I began writing my blog in 2006 came two weeks later with the attack on Leslie Cumming - which everyone has now figured out was an inside job.

If they can do it to their own, well ... I agree Peter, they cannot use violence because like their corruption, they will reap the whirlwind. Better to lose life people of Scotland than your rights. People with no rights are already dead. Down with lawyer untermenchen.

Anonymous said...

I'd imagine premiums for the MP rose sharply that year.

Anonymous said...

little crook and all those on the committee should be in jail

Anonymous said...

Penman's firm Stormonth Darling have left a trail of disattisfied clients throughout the Borders especially on property transactions but if a fool and his money are stupid enough to get together with a crooked lawyer then they deserve to be taken for a ride.After all its not as if there's no publicity about Penman and what he got up to.People should take more notice of it rather than complain later on they never knew.

Keep up the good work Peter.I enjoy seeing lawyers squirm and twisting in the wind !

Anonymous said...

Happy to see you continue to give this little creep lawyer a hard time.

If anyone wants to know who to blame for crooked lawyers it must be Penman.

Anonymous said...

not surprised about the tone of comments here as I know all about this little twerp Penman and his entourage at Stormonth Darling

Law Society should have struck him off at the time along with his crooked pal he works with who also is a regular in complaints at the Law Society

Anonymous said...

I am behind you 100% Mr Cherbi.Victory for us all against these evil crooked lawyers !

Anonymous said...

I am stuck with a similar complaint.The family lawyer who was stupidly made executor by my grandfather has taken 4 years to bring his estate to confirmation and what started out as £189,000 has been reduced to about £11,400.

The Law Society said the same "there was no loss" which is total rubbish as we have proved the lawyer took £49,000 for himself and lost 2 of the share certs and a bank book he now claims does not exist and he has sent a bill in demanding £26,270 for all his work and refuses to hand over any of the legacies until he is paid.

There were six share certificates,4 bank books, a small flat which my grandfather owned and a life insurance.Nothing which should have taken 4 years to process yet the Law Society have done nothing, not even reprimanded him and he even refused to cooperate with their investigation at the start, a fact the Law Society have now covered up despite telling us in an early letter.They will not allow us copies of what happened at the complaints committee and the SLCC refuses to become involved.

What are we to do Mr Cherbi ?

Diary of Injustice said...

# Anonymous @ 12.56pm

Sounds like a typical Law Society cover up you are experiencing .... perhaps a good dose of publicity in the newspapers & online might help ... along with identifying the lawyer and legal firm so others can avoid them.

Could you contact me please with further details of the case and I will see what I can do.

Anonymous said...

"There were six share certificates,4 bank books, a small flat which my grandfather owned and a life insurance.Nothing which should have taken 4 years to process yet the Law Society have done nothing, not even reprimanded him and he even refused to cooperate with their investigation at the start, a fact the Law Society have now covered up despite telling us in an early letter.They will not allow us copies of what happened at the complaints committee and the SLCC refuses to become involved."

Another horror. 4 years to reconcile a few bank books, a property and share certificates ?

That lawyer should be in jail along with all those who let him continue.

Anonymous said...

This is just an incredible report.
First the lawyer rearranges the file to presumably make it appear he did nothing wrong.
He then goes onto deceive a bank about funds and other stuff and ignores the Inland Revenue (amazing no criminal prosecution on that one alone)then has a go at the family for complaining over what he did !

No doubt about it - this Andrew Penman should be jailed if not then,now.

Anonymous said...

The Law Society said the exact same thing about my mother's will,that there was no financial loss yet £65,020 exactly went missing in the form of two bank accounts that were closed by her solicitor.Philip Yelland and a Mrs McGowan wrote to me saying I didn't have an interest to make a complaint but eventually they took it only because I threatened to go to the newspapers yet they let him off and we were awarded nothing.now I cannot find a lawyer to try and sue my mother's solicitor for the money back and am in the same boat as yourself

Diary of Injustice said...

# Anonymous @ 11.04am

Could you contact me with further details of case ?

Anonymous said...

Crooked Mr Penman should have been struck off forever.Question how many other clients he has ruined over the years at the behest of the crooked Law Society

Anonymous said...

Fit for a movie if the sods ever get sent to jail