A SOLICITOR who systematically breached undertakings in relation to multiple property transactions and allowed a deficit of nearly €100,000 to arise in his client account was struck off by the High Court yesterday.
Joseph Traynor, formerly practising as Traynor and Company, Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk, Co Louth, was previously struck off for misconduct relating to investigations by the Law Society in 2002 and 2004.
Following further investigations, the Society’s Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal last March recommended he be struck off again after finding him guilty of 23 allegations of misconduct relating to multiple breaches of undertakings.
Paul Anthony McDermott, for the society, yesterday told the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, the allegations involved the systematic breaching of undertakings to financial institutions including AIB, Ulster Bank, Bank of Scotland Ireland, Permanent TSB, Irish Nationwide, Bank of Ireland, ACC and First Trust Bank.
Among its findings, the tribunal found he caused or allowed a deficit of €99,876 to arise in his client account on February 28th, 2009.
In the course of acting for one client, he avoided possible interest and penalties from the Revenue Commissioners in relation to a transfer deed by updating the deed by nearly 2½ years.
He misleadingly confirmed to a solicitor for ACC Bank that a property purchase in Kildare for one of his clients without actually confirming this and where €1.14 million in purchase monies were still outstanding.
Mr McDermott told the court yesterday Mr Traynor had admitted most of the allegations.
Counsel said Mr Traynor had said it was “appalling and shameful”. He said: “I have destroyed my own life and caused so much grief to the people around me, friends and family and not just that, friends I made in the legal profession.”
Mr Traynor had said the matters happened because he had a large practice “and I simply was not in control of it”.
He said he did what he could to rectify deficits. “My life has changed forever and I will simply just accept what is coming,” Mr Justice Kearns said he had no option but to make an order striking him off.