tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post3267218002518974763..comments2024-03-24T23:01:57.640+00:00Comments on The Justice Diaries: Calls to investigate Scottish Legal Aid Board & Law Society over ‘dodgy dealings’ in ‘voluntary removal’ of £600k lawyer from legal aid registerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-80916525667159713172011-04-07T20:17:59.121+01:002011-04-07T20:17:59.121+01:00Ex-Labour minister Elliot Morley has admitted dish...Ex-Labour minister Elliot Morley has admitted dishonestly claiming more than £30,000 in parliamentary expenses, the largest sum of any former MP.<br /><br />He pleaded guilty to making excessive claims for mortgage costs between 2004 and 2007 and pocketing cash for another loan that had been paid off.<br /><br />Morley stepped down as an MP at the last election, having represented Scunthorpe since 1987.<br /><br />He is the fourth MP to appear in court over expenses fraud.<br /><br />His barrister, James Sturman QC, told Mr Justice Saunders that his client accepted a jail sentence was now likely.<br /><br /><br />THEY WILL NOT END SELF REGULATION AS THEY DID AT WESTMINSTER, SO NAMING AND SHAMING IS REQUIRED TO DRIVE LAW FIRMS OUT OF BUSINESS.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-35290922235458552532011-04-06T19:09:05.326+01:002011-04-06T19:09:05.326+01:00Oh well look at it this way Peter.The Police usual...Oh well look at it this way Peter.The Police usually read the internet so they've probably read this by now and should be making proper inquiries into why SLAB didn't report a lawyer claiming legal aid to the extent he was doing.If the cops ignore it then we know there is something very very wrong!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-46848344953602484872011-04-06T12:18:05.924+01:002011-04-06T12:18:05.924+01:00Who would have thought the legal aid board were m...Who would have thought the legal aid board were more about avoiding prosecuting a lawyer for unnecessary legal aid claims while denying legal aid to most people who actually deserve it.<br /><br />Clearly SLAB cannot be trusted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-88726416986057571752011-04-06T08:24:35.278+01:002011-04-06T08:24:35.278+01:00You cant beat self regulation - 3 kids killed by t...You cant beat self regulation - 3 kids killed by their own mother and Edinburgh Council clears its own Social Work Dept before any blame can be attached! http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/crime-courts/social-work-department-cleared-over-children-s-stabbings-1.1094570Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-59283746954524471612011-04-05T21:49:41.082+01:002011-04-05T21:49:41.082+01:00I wonder what sort of clients Mr Lockhart has to b...I wonder what sort of clients Mr Lockhart has to be registering all these civil cases?<br /><br />I bet there is a story in that client list!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-40089626260642715442011-04-05T20:15:30.905+01:002011-04-05T20:15:30.905+01:00The legal aid board must hate your guts for this s...The legal aid board must hate your guts for this so you better watch in case some of them use their hoodlum contacts to have you wiped outAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-54873016393142890302011-04-05T19:18:09.954+01:002011-04-05T19:18:09.954+01:00IF LAWYERS DO NOT WANT NAMING AND SHAMING THEY MUS...IF LAWYERS DO NOT WANT NAMING AND SHAMING THEY MUST HAVE RUINED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-59275158160375757072011-04-05T18:05:01.186+01:002011-04-05T18:05:01.186+01:00# Anonymous @ 4 April 2011 23:32
Yes please send ...# Anonymous @ 4 April 2011 23:32<br /><br />Yes please send in the details and any evidence via scottishlawreporters@gmail.com.<br /><br />Any solicitor defrauding public funds via legal aid deserves to be exposed and held to account.<br /><br />If SLAB and the Law Society are unwilling to do it, the media certainly are.Diary of Injusticehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00697476580161690118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-75474309676802678212011-04-05T18:02:17.775+01:002011-04-05T18:02:17.775+01:00# Anonymous @ 5 April 2011 16:40
If they would li...# Anonymous @ 5 April 2011 16:40<br /><br />If they would like to contact me with more details via scottishlawreporters@gmail.com I can assure you their story will be told.Diary of Injusticehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00697476580161690118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-3993977672082419672011-04-05T17:55:38.792+01:002011-04-05T17:55:38.792+01:00"Slab officials warned Lockhart about his cla..."Slab officials warned Lockhart about his claims in April 2005 but he "continued to show contempt for the board's serious concerns regarding his practices that were discussed at that meeting".<br /><br />That prompted SLAB to send their damning 13-page report to legal regulator the Law Society of Scotland in June 2006. Yet the Law Society did not report SLAB's concerns to police or refer him to the Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal. It took them another four years to even agree Lockhart should be banned from legal aid.<br /><br />Last October, Lockhart's lawyer James McCann struck a deal with SLAB which allowed Lockhart to agree to quit legal aid voluntarily. He continues to do other legal work.<br /><br />A slab spokesman said: "The matter was not one of fraud and, therefore, not a criminal matter. A Law Society spokeswoman said: "Our powers in this situation relate to considering the solicitor's conduct. It is not for the society to determine whether there has been fraud." <br /><br />Clearly the Police should have been called in by SLAB.Whoever decided not to do that should give their reasons IN PUBLIC why and then make sure any more such cases involve the Police straight away.This is a huge scandal to say the least and from all I've read about your earlier reports there will be a barrage of lawyers affected in this way yet either nothing happens or we never get to hear of it.Its high time this attitude of sweeping crooked lawyers under the carpet was STOPPED.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-72443779936622082112011-04-05T16:40:16.590+01:002011-04-05T16:40:16.590+01:00I know one of Lockhart's clients and they migh...I know one of Lockhart's clients and they might be willing to talkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-23015403369897622762011-04-05T12:55:58.947+01:002011-04-05T12:55:58.947+01:00Quite a scandal going on here.I wonder how many ot...Quite a scandal going on here.I wonder how many other cases of excessive legal aid claims have ended up where the lawyer gets to walk away without any action yet no chance some client would get away with it even though its the lawyer who receives the legal aid anyway.Double standards!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-354569238582191622011-04-05T10:48:12.046+01:002011-04-05T10:48:12.046+01:00There is always a Legal Aid Law Society pattern, l...There is always a Legal Aid Law Society pattern, legal aid money taken fraudulently, culprit never faces trial.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-1763139236636157252011-04-05T10:39:50.453+01:002011-04-05T10:39:50.453+01:00This is a very suspicious case if no attempt is ma...This is a very suspicious case if no attempt is made to make him pay back any of the moneyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-5340221498011648342011-04-05T10:23:52.907+01:002011-04-05T10:23:52.907+01:00Clearly there is one law for some and another for ...Clearly there is one law for some and another for the rest of us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-16308347292730208312011-04-05T10:15:01.776+01:002011-04-05T10:15:01.776+01:00If there's no fraud why did SLAB make a compla...If there's no fraud why did SLAB make a complaint against him to the Law Society ?<br /><br />If no fraud or nothing they could prove then its basically harassment whether anyone wants to admit it or not so its SLAB which needs to be investigated not just Mr Lockhart.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-33093869794782585082011-04-05T02:09:37.558+01:002011-04-05T02:09:37.558+01:00I begin to wonder if there is any legal related in...I begin to wonder if there is any legal related institution in Scotland which isnt corrupt sneaky or duplicitous..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-85787389789783343822011-04-05T01:06:51.853+01:002011-04-05T01:06:51.853+01:00"That prompted SLAB to send their damning 13-..."That prompted SLAB to send their damning 13-page report to legal regulator the Law Society of Scotland in June 2006. Yet the Law Society did not report SLAB's concerns to police or refer him to the Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal. It took them another four years to even agree Lockhart should be banned from legal aid. "<br /><br />Yes notice how the paper mentions the 2006 complaint yet the press release from the legal aid board only mentions the Law Society sent its report in 2010.<br /><br />What is a deliberate omission usually called these days ? A lie ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-51222945259935922082011-04-04T23:32:50.893+01:002011-04-04T23:32:50.893+01:00I am sure there are many solicitors up to these tr...I am sure there are many solicitors up to these tricks with their clients & legal aid I think I know one in Glasgow who is doing the same will find out for sure and post his name if you likeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-72278138670822367532011-04-04T22:54:27.808+01:002011-04-04T22:54:27.808+01:00Agreed the Sunday Mail story blows the SLAB press ...Agreed the Sunday Mail story blows the SLAB press release out of the water!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-55277714518689104362011-04-04T22:21:46.866+01:002011-04-04T22:21:46.866+01:00Anonymous said...
Oh well there can be no dou...Anonymous said...<br /><br /> Oh well there can be no doubt.<br /><br /> THE SNP ALLOW LEGAL AID FRAUD BY LAWYERS<br /><br /> 4 April 2011 18:32<br /><br />But of course they do.I've been writing to the Scottish Government about my legal aid being banned and they did nothing about it except pass my letter to legal aid who refused it again on appeal because my b*tch ex wife's lawyers keep writing in with lies about my finances they cant prove even in court.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-36183651539028870832011-04-04T21:06:35.796+01:002011-04-04T21:06:35.796+01:00LEGAL AID watchdogs have accused a solicitor who t...LEGAL AID watchdogs have accused a solicitor who took £600,000 of taxpayers' money in two years of deliberately ramping up his claims. <br /><br /><br />How can this not be criminal if he is racking up claims. What a bend unjust legal system we have where holders of an LLB are above the law.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-2887963238650286062011-04-04T20:23:48.567+01:002011-04-04T20:23:48.567+01:00Is this the same guy and if so what is the real st...Is this the same guy and if so what is the real story of the "loan"<br /><br />http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2009/06/21/lawyer-sues-student-bride-over-loan-for-college-fees-78057-21459716/<br /><br />TAKEN FOR A BRIDE; LAWYER SUES STUDENT OVER COLLEGE LOAN EXCLUSIVE.<br /><br />Lawyer sues student bride over loan for college fees<br /><br />Jun 21 2009 Exclusive by Derek Alexander, Sunday Mail<br /><br />A LAWYER is suing a student bride after he gave her £12,000 to pay her way through college.<br /><br />Solicitor Niels Lockhart, 58, is fighting to get the money back from 22-year-old Yasmin Erdil.<br /><br />Lockhart claims he offered the loan to the Lithuanian, who got married last week, to help her out of financial trouble and to stay in Scotland.<br /><br />He says he gave Erdil, a former client, cheques for £5785 and £6427 in April.<br /><br />Married Lockhart, who runs a legal firm in Kilmarnock, has launched a civil action to claw back the cash amid fears she is about to leave the country.<br /><br />Erdil, of Kilmarnock, married fiancé David Barcock last week and friends say she plans to move to England.<br /><br />She was studying for an HNC certificate in social science at Kilmarnock College when she received the cash.<br /><br />Lockhart lodged a writ at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court this month to try to have Erdil's RBS account arrested.<br /><br />He claims he gave her the cash to settle college fees and "problems she had regarding heresidence in Scotland". His writ says the money was to be paid back on demand - but Erdil has not returned a penny.<br /><br />A source said: "It's very unusual for a lawyer to lend a client that sort of cash, especially when there doesn't seem to be any guarantee she'll be able to pay it back.<br /><br />"People are wondering why he would lend that sort of cash in the first place." Erdil said: "I don't want to talk about this - it's my wedding day." Lockhart, who has three daughters and lives in Ayr with his wife Kate, specialises in matrimonial and civil cases.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-50654472671969243052011-04-04T20:21:13.931+01:002011-04-04T20:21:13.931+01:00I'm a bit confused about the legal aid board n...I'm a bit confused about the legal aid board not reporting this to the Police yet they run to the Law Society who as you know are right across the street from them in Edinburgh.<br /><br />Doesn't this just stink of lawyers trying to keep it all among themselves and in the end nothing is done about it ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-85657716590090908172011-04-04T20:08:33.833+01:002011-04-04T20:08:33.833+01:00Last October, Lockhart's lawyer James McCann s...Last October, Lockhart's lawyer James McCann struck a deal with SLAB which allowed Lockhart to agree to quit legal aid voluntarily. He continues to do other legal work. <br /><br />LAWYERS ALWAYS HAVE LAWYERS TO REPRESENT THEM. IF MR LOCKHART HAD RUINED A CLIENT AND TAKEN THE CLIENTS INHERITANCE THE CLIENT WOULD NEVER HAVE GOT A LAWYER TO REPRESENT HIM OR HER. <br /><br />JUSTICE NO BIAS YES.LAWYERS ARE SELECTIVE IN WHO THEY REPRESENTnoreply@blogger.com