HARRISON, John Paul

 

Date

7 May 2010

 

Charge

The charges against Mr Harrison were:

 

1. Between on or about 1 November 2004 and 17 January 2005 John Harrison, a Fellow of the Institute, then practising on his own under the style “Tyneside Legal Services” from 81 Park Road, Walls End, Tyne and Wear, NE28 6RA, in the course of carrying out instructions for the preparation and execution of a Will for his client failed, or failed properly, to assess whether his said client had sufficient mental capacity for the purpose of giving such instructions and/or executing a Will; and/or

 

Between the said dates the said John Harrison, in the course of the said instructions failed to attend upon his client for the purpose of executing his Will, thereby failing to ensure his said client’s freedom of choice and/or the impartiality of the said John Harrison’s advice as was the duty of a Solicitor under paragraph 11.01 of the Law Society’s Guide to the Professional Conduct of Solicitors (1999 ed.) WHEREBY disrepute was brought upon the Institute or its members.

 

2.  Between on or about 1 March 2006 and 30 June 2006 the said John Harrison, practising on his own under the style “Tyneside Legal Services” from 81 Park Road, Walls End, Tyne and Wear, NE28 6RA, in the course of carrying out instructions for the administration of the affairs and/or estate of C failed to use his best endeavours to ensure the safety and security of certain documents, namely a house clearance invoice and a B.T. telephone invoice and miscellaneous utility bills pertaining to the affairs of the said C in consequence whereof the said documents were lost or mislaid WHEREBY disrepute was brought upon the Institute or its members.

 

3.  Between 11 August 2009 and 19 November 2009 the said John Harrison, a Fellow of the Institute, failed to respond, alternatively failed adequately to respond, to the written investigatory requests of I, an investigating Officer of the Institute, concerning an investigation into certain professional matters as directed by the Appeals Committee on 21 May 2009, it having been his duty to so respond by virtue of Rule 27 (g) of the said Rules WHEREBY disrepute was brought upon the Institute or its members.

 

Outcome    

The first and second charges were found not proved.  The third charge was found proved.

 

Penalty

Mr Harrison was excluded from membership of ILEX for a minimum period of 3 months and was ordered to pay costs in the sum of £3,000.