British attorney Tim Schools struck off for ‘serious misconduct’

From OffshoreAlert

Timothy Schools, who masterminded the £100 million-plus, Cayman Islands-domiciled Axiom Legal Financing Fund fraud, was struck off as a solicitor in England and Wales on June 27^th for professional misconduct.

For more on this story go to: http://www.offshorealert.com/lawyer-tim-schools-struck-off-by-solicitors-disciplinary-tribunal.aspx

Solicitor struck off for failing to act with integrity

From Solicitors Regulation Authority

A solicitor has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) after a number of serious allegations were found proved against him, including failing to act with integrity.

Timothy Schools, from Sedbergh, Cumbria, formerly of ATM Solicitors in Preston, was struck off in May after the tribunal found proved ten allegations brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The SRA’s allegations included failing to act with integrity, acting where there was a conflict of interests, and acting in a manner which led to his independence and that of ATM Solicitors being compromised.

The allegations related to the involvement of Mr Schools and ATM Solicitors acting on behalf of clients who challenged the enforceability of various Consumer Credit Agreements; the manner in which he acted for such clients; the involvement of, and interest held by, Mr Schools in other organisations involved in the litigation which gave rise to a conflict of interest; the way in which the work and the firm was funded; the extent to which he allowed the firm’s independence to be put at risk, and the extent to which non-solicitor third parties were able to exercise an inappropriate level of control and influence over the activities of the firm.

Mr Schools did not attend the hearing, the costs of which are still to be fully assessed.

The Tribunal found the respondent was the subject of very serious charges, almost every aspect of which had been proved against him. The seriousness of the misconduct was aggravated by the fact that the respondent’s actions were quite deliberate and continued for a period of time. He was an experienced solicitor who had been in practice since 1999. The Tribunal found that he had been motivated by financial gain and the misconduct arose from the way he operated the firm. His disregard for clients, preferring his own financial interests, was damaging to the reputation of the profession.

Mr Schools made a written application requesting that if the hearing went ahead in his absence, with a finding and/or a sanction made, it should be stayed pending his appeal. The Tribunal said it was not disposed to grant a stay of sanction as the public needed to be protected.

Gordon Ramsay, SRA Director of Legal and Enforcement, said: “This is Mr Schools’ second appearance at the Tribunal for similar breaches of the Code of Conduct. His deliberate conduct fell so far below the standard required of a solicitor that striking off was the only appropriate course of action.”

Mr Schools has 21 days from receipt of the SDT’s judgement to appeal. View the judgment (PDF 79 pages, 466K)

For more on this story go to: http://www.sra.org.uk/sra/news/press/solicitor-struck-off-failing-integrity.page

See also iNews Cayman related stories:

Published April 13 2014 “Axiom case exposes dysfunctional English Court system” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/axiom-case-exposes-dysfunctional-english-court-system/

Published August 11 2013 “Cayman judge sanctions Axiom Receivers to take action in Canada, Isle of Man and Switzerland” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/cayman-judge-sanctions-axiom-receivers-to-take-action-in-canada-isle-of-man-and-switzerland/

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