Monday, January 29, 2007

Ten Scottish Legal Firms to avoid - a roll call of infamy

More in from A Diary of Injustice in Scotland

Many people ask me which legal firm to recommend them to trust. I can't answer that. There are none.

Yes, I know of one or two very small, hard working legal firms .... but all things depend ultimately, on who you are, what you want them to do for you .. how much money you have (of course) ... and .. well .. even the most honest legal firm sometimes has a fly in the ointment .. so to speak .. so at the end of the day, you can't really trust any of them at all. You put your life and your money at risk, when you go to see a lawyer - even more so than smoking a cigarette.

If you want a cautionary note from the man who actually runs the Professional Indemnity Insurance of the entire legal profession in Scotland .. you should listen to this : Alistair Sim - Director of Marsh UK, once said to me .. "there isn't a lawyer in Scotland who hasn't had a complaint made against them". So, if you want a lawyer who hasn't had rolls of client complaints made against them .. hasn't been at the fiddle, had their fingers in the 'till, been embezzling clients funds behind their back .. etc .. you are going to have to ask for a written declaration from the solicitor or legal firm you go to as to their regulatory history. Should be as easy as that .. but of course, even the most charming small town lawyer, may have some deep dark secrets up their sleeve .. of faking up file papers to get out of complaint investigations or swindling a few banks ... and they certainly wont want you to find out about that !

Here is the list then .. of ten legal firms - some of them as you will see, more famous, or infamous, than others. If you go to these legal firms to do business, buy or sell a property, make a will .. or anything at all, you stand a good chance of being robbed blind or have your legal issues made a complete mess of. Take note that others have also had problems with these legal firms - not just me. Some people have even lost their homes, businesses, and more, through the actions of some of these legal firms. Try and do something about if after you discover your legal bills have been inflated, funds embezzled .. etc .. and you will get nowhere .. they all cover up for each other.

I would say, from my own experience, having used these legal firms and the accountancy firm from Hawick, in the Scottish Borders - the solicitors and legal firms on this list can be deadly to your health & wealth .. and they will work against you at every turn, despite smiling faces to the contrary. Sharks have nothing on this lot.

Avoid the following lawyers, accountants, & legal firms, unless you want major problems with your legal business !

Solicitors : Andrew Penman & Terrance McNally
Legal Firm : Stormonth Darling Solicitors, Kelso
Address : Bank Of Scotland Buildings, The Square, Kelso, TD5 7HQ Telephone: 01573 224143
Website : http://www.stormonthdarling.co.uk

Solicitor Nigel Hall & others
Legal Firm : Haddon & Turnbill WS,
Address: 55 High St Hawick, TD9 9BP, Tel : 01450 372336

Solicitor William Craib Anderson & other members of staff,
Legal Firm : Charles & RB Anderson WS (Haddon & Turnbull WS, Hawick)
Address : Royal Bank Buildings, 38 High Street, Jedburgh,TD8 6DF

Solicitor : Roderick Urquhart & others
Legal Firm : A & WM Urquhart, Edinburgh
Address : 16 Heriot Row Edinburgh Midlothian EH3 6HR

Website : http://www.urquharts.co.uk

Solicitor : David Sturrock & others
Legal Firm : Turnbull Simpson & Sturrock WS
Address : 26 High Street, Jedburgh, TD8 6AG

Solicitors : Sascha O'Hagan, Catriona Garcia & others
Balfour & Manson Solicitors
Address : 54-66 Frederick Street. Edinburgh

Website : http://www.balfour-manson.co.uk

Solicitor : David Reid
Legal Firm : Alex Morison & Co, Edinburgh
Solicitor : David Reid
Address : 51 Frederick Street Edinburgh Midlothian EH2 1LH

Solicitor : David Reid & others
Legal Firm : Morisons WS, Edinburgh
Address : Erskine House, 68-73 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4NN

Website : http://www.morisonsllp.com

Solicitor : David Reid (now a Law Accountant - more dangerous than ever)
Legal Firm : Campbell Smith WS
Address : 21 York Place , EDINBURGH , EH1 3EN.

Website : http://www.camsmith.co.uk

Solicitor : Michael G Robson
Legal Firm : Robsons WS, (currently not practising)
Ratho, Nr Edinburgh

Accountant : Norman James Howitt CA
Accountancy Firm : Welch & Co Chartered Accountants,
Address : 19 Buccleuch Street Hawick Roxburghshire TD9 0HL. Telephone 01450 372267
Website : http://www.welchca.co.uk

There are more names which you would also be advised to stay away from, of course .... the likes of Campbell Deane of Bannatyne Kirkwood France & Co in Glasgow, who pontificates occasionally on behalf of the legal profession in the Scotsman newspaper. Deane talks big about cleaning up the legal profession but isn't big on actions to tackle the crooked lawyers .. like the rest of his peers of course .. big on talk & nothing on substance. Deane recently lost a legal action for Lord George Robertson against the Sunday Herald newspaper .. and of course as you all know, he served on Tommy Sheridan's legal team until he was dropped .. probably one of the best moves Sheridan made in his case. Deane had a hold of my client file, but decided against taking me on ... too much for him I bet .. but it didn't stop him taking a few swipes at me .. but the people around him at the Scotsman told me back .. and it turns out, they resent lawyers being slapped onto the staff to write propaganda for the legal profession - which everyone these days knows is crooked.

Another lawyer who has been involved in legal representation for my family, albeith briefly, is Ron Hastings of Hastings & Co Solicitors & Estate Agents .. another one of those dangerous lawyers from Kelso, in the Scottish Borders you would be well advised to steer clear of. Hastings was involved in a bitter 2 year fight with a neighbour to force me out of my home. Hastings lost the case for his client, after his attenpts of two years to prevent my legal aid failed - thanks to Phil Gallie on that one, who again, saved my bacon. Hastings sometimes has rants about me to some of his clients .. poor chap, I think he might need help.

Looking for someone to blame for all this ? Blame Douglas Mill over at the Law Society of Scotland .. and his friend Philp Yelland.

It could also be said that Andrew Penman of Stormonth Darling Solicitors in Kelso, is responsible for the mess the Scottish legal profession finds itself in today ... so instead of blaming me, the crooked gang at the Law Society of Scotland and their cohorts should go knock on Mr Penman's door .. after all .. it was his thieving, along with that of bent accountant Norman Howitt, which started the whole thing off.

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