The High Court has suspended a Dublin-based solicitor from practising until he has filed all his outstanding accounts. The president of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, made an order prohibiting Michael Lovett, principal of Lovett O’Donnell Solicitors, Ranelagh, Dublin, from practising as a solicitor until he has fully complied with the Solicitors Accounts Regulations. The order, and another compelling Mr Lovett to co-operate with the Law Society, was sought by Paul Anthony McDermott, for the society.
The court heard that Rory O’Neill, a chartered accountant with the society’s regulation department, was appointed in January to carry out an inspection of Mr Lovett’s practice to ensure compliance with the solicitors accounts regulations.
In an affidavit, Mr O’Neill said that despite making several attempts to arrange the inspection, he had been unable to carry out his function. He he initially agreed to a request from Mr Lovett to adjourn the inspection to deal with a family matter. Several times between August and October, he placed a number of unanswered calls to Mr Lovett seeking to arrange an inspectio. He also attended at Mr Lovett’s place of work but was unable to gain access.
When he did make contact with Mr Lovett by phone, the solicitor told him he could not meet him but a colleague would get everything together so an inspection could be carried out, Mr O’Neill said. Mr Lovett had also said there were no client monies missing and the books were slightly in arrears but it would not take him long to get them up to date, Mr O’Neill added.
He had remained unable to conduct the inspection and Mr Lovett had not attended at two meetings of the Regulation of Practice Committee, where his non co-operation with the inspection was discussed, Mr O’Neill said.
Mr Justice Kearns made the orders returnable to early next month.