Former solicitor Valerie Macadam sentenced to three years for embezzlement
Former solicitor Valerie Macadam was sentenced today, Wednesday, December 10, to three years imprisonment, reduced from four years for an earlier guilty plea, at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for embezzling £130,000 of client funds. Macadam had been banned from practising as a solicitor in 2004 following Law Society of Scotland investigations.
She was officially struck from the roll of solicitors on 1 September 2005 by the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal after being found guilty of professional misconduct. This could not be made public at the time because of ongoing criminal proceedings.
Breaches of accounts rules and discrepancies in client accounts were uncovered during a Law Society inspection of the firm where Valerie Macadam worked, leading to the Society's request to the court to appoint a Judicial Factor to the firm in December 2003, to protect the firm's clients.
The Court of Session confirmed the appointment of the Judicial Factor in January 2004, at which point Macadam's practising certificate was suspended. Following receipt of a detailed report on the firm, the Law Society took steps to prosecute Macadam before the Scottish Solicitors Discipline tribunal.
Philip Yelland, Law Society of Scotland director of standards, said: “The Law Society acted to protect the firm’s clients and Ms Macadam has not been able to practise as a solicitor in Scotland since 2004.
“Solicitors are trusted to handle millions of pounds of client funds each year. Honesty and integrity are absolutely paramount within the solicitors' profession and those who are suspected of stealing from clients will be investigated and, if they are found to be acting dishonestly or fraudulently, strong action will be taken against them, both by the Law Society and the courts.”
ENDS
10 December 2008
Notes to editor
Judicial Factors
The Judicial Factor is an Officer of the Court and acts independently of the Law Society of Scotland
The Law Society of Scotland’s compliance team carries out regular inspections of all solicitor firms in Scotland to ensure that they comply with rules on dealing with clients’ money. If an inspector suspects that client money is missing, the accounting records are so poor they cannot tell if client money is missing or if a firm ceases trading and does not make the accounts available for the Law Society to inspect, the Law Society of Scotland must request the Court of Session to appoint a Judicial Factor to that firm to protect the public and other solicitors. The decision to make the appointment is for the Court.
The appointment by the Court is on an interim basis which usually lasts at least three weeks. This gives the solicitor affected an opportunity to oppose the appointment. The Court can recall the appointment or make it permanent. If it is made permanent, the solicitor concerned cannot practise as a solicitor.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Please contact the Law Society of Scotland corporate communications office.
Val McEwan on 0131 226 8884 valeriemcewan@lawscot.org.uk
Suzy Powell on 0131 476 8115 suzypowell@lawscot.org.uk
