SSDT Decision May

Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal: Law Society v Natalie Joan Bird

A complaint was made by the Council of the Law Society of Scotland against Natalie Joan Bird, Thurso (‘the Respondent’). The Tribunal found the Respondent guilty of professional misconduct in respect of her breach of Rule B1.2 of the Law Society of Scotland Practice Rules 2011.

The Tribunal ordered that the name of the Respondent be struck off the Roll of Solicitors in Scotland.

The Tribunal was satisfied that the Respondent had acted dishonestly while acting in a professional capacity. She forged a client’s signature on the last page of his will and dated it 27th April 2022. She created three fictitious file notes to conceal the forgery. The principles of honesty and integrity are fundamental to the profession. Members of the profession are in a very privileged position and members of the public must be able to trust that a solicitor will carry out his/her duties and obligations in an honest and trustworthy manner. Membership of the profession is a privilege. Solicitors undertake a duty throughout their professional lives to conduct their client’s affairs to their utmost ability and with complete honesty and integrity. Clients and colleagues should be able to expect these qualities of every solicitor as a matter of course. The Respondent’s behaviour in this case was a serious and reprehensible departure from the standards of competent and reputable solicitors and accordingly professional misconduct was established. In all the circumstances, the appropriate penalty was one of strike off.