Solicitor John Hodge of Scotland; ethical gremlin

The Law Society presented John James Rankin Hodge with a law license in 1982 after he graduated from the University of Glasgow School of Law.

The Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal found Johnny guilty of the following misconduct.

• Engaged in professional misconduct
• Failed to write to his client to advise her that legal consequences may arise from her signing the discharge and that she should seek independent legal advice prior to signing the document
• Failed to act with integrity in that he advised his that the other executors and residuary beneficiaries had agreed to pay her a one eighth share of the proceeds of sale of the house, but then made payment of the said sums conditional upon the client taking no further action in respect of the circumstances surrounding her discharge of the standard security
• Failed to act with integrity in respect that he made payment of the sums due to the client conditional upon her withdrawing the ethics complaint which she had made to the SLCC
• Delayed or hindered the advancement of the executory
• Placed himself in a conflict-of-interest situation

As a direct consequence of his misconduct, the enablers for Solicitor Misfits sitting on the Discipline Tribunal punished Johnny by gifting him with a complimentary censure and imposed a fine of £6,000.

As we speak (ca. August 2021), Johnny practices his so-called brand of law with Wallace Hodge & Co Limited at 6 Killoch Place in Ayr, Scotland.