Michael Lynn, the solicitor and property developer whose legal practice was shut down on Monday following an investigation by the Law Society, was also investigated by the society in 2004 after a complaint from one of his clients.
However, the society felt the complaint "did not constitute grounds to warrant intervention" and did not pursue the matter further.
Mr Lynn practised as Capel Law from the Capel Buildings, Dublin. The practice was closed on Monday after he gave an undertaking to the High Court not to practise. The Law Society launched its investigation last month after it became concerned about his property dealings. It found Mr Lynn had used the practice's client account for personal transactions and that there was "a free flow of funds" between this account and the bank account of Kendar Holdings, his property development company.
Solicitors are not allowed to use a client account for personal transactions.
The society investigated Mr Lynn's practice in January 2004 after it received a complaint from Galway builder Brian Cunningham and his wife, Marian, over claims that fees charged by Mr Lynn to their construction group on a property transaction in Dublin were "grossly excessive and inaccurate".
Mr Lynn acted for The Cunningham Group (TCG) in the sale of the Finglas Shopping Centre and deducted professional fees of €817,747 from a sale deposit of €1.4 million, according to "an interim investigation report" by the society.
The report said the Cunninghams complained that Mr Lynn deducted the fees "without prior approval". Mr Lynn said fees "had been agreed with and approved" by another director of TCG.
