Past disciplinary findings

James Allport, a non-practising barrister employed as an assistant at a firm of solicitors, engaged in conduct likely to diminish public confidence in the legal profession or the administration of justice or otherwise brought the legal profession into disrepute in that:

(i) Between October 2004 and March 2005, he failed to relay to his client numerous letters from his client?s wife?s solicitors or take instructions on the issues raised in these letters;

(ii) In or about March 2005, he attended a court hearing without instructions and consented to detailed Heads of Agreement which included committing his client to making substantial lump sum payments secured on a property owned by his client. These terms were subsequently incorporated into a further consent order which was endorsed with a Penal Notice;

(iii) In or after March 2005, he concealed from his client the fact that he had agreed to a consent order and that the consent order was endorsed with a Penal Notice;

(iv) In or about June 2005, he agreed to a consent order endorsed with a Penal Notice on behalf of his client without taking instructions;

(v) In or after June 2005, he concealed from his client that he had agreed to a consent order and that it was endorsed with a Penal Notice;

(vi) Between October 2004 and 20 July 2005, he misled his client on a number of occasions by pretending to set up meetings between his client and a partner in the firm he was employed by and then cancelling the meetings at short notice.

James Allport, a non-practising barrister employed as an assistant at a firm of solicitors, engaged in dishonest or otherwise discreditable conduct in that between October 2004 and 20 July 2005, he forged a letter of authority from his client?s wife to the Lloyds TSB bank at which she and his client held joint bank accounts, purporting to authorise her removal as a signatory to the account and confirming his client was to have the benefit of any funds in the accounts with immediate effect.