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A LAWYER who made unauthorised withdrawals of more than $400,000 from his firm was disbarred yesterday.
The money was in a bank account used to hold the firm's clients' funds for use in ongoing transactions. By withdrawing the money without permission, Mr Tan Tiong Hian, Raymond, 44, had breached the rules governing how lawyers may handle money belonging to their clients.
The decision yesterday followed an application by the Law Society to a Court of Three Judges for Mr Tan, a lawyer of 17 years, to be struck off the rolls for professional misconduct.
The Court of Three Judges is the highest disciplinary body in the legal profession here. Mr Tan, the sole proprietor of the firm, T H Tan Raymond & Co, did not attend the hearing yesterday.
The society had been tipped off by the Commercial Affairs Department in November 2010 that Mr Tan was being investigated for possible misappropriation of money from his firm's client account.
It then asked to examine the firm's accounts, but Mr Tan asked for more time.
Separately, the same month, a disciplinary tribunal appointed by the Chief Justice found that Mr Tan had failed to account for $4,000 he received on behalf of another client, Mr David Peh.
The lawyer had received the money that was meant to pay a debt owed to Mr Peh.
Mr Peh then complained to the Law Society as he did not get the money.
In December 2010, the society intervened by taking over the client account of Mr Tan's law firm.
After inspecting the records, it believed the account did not have the funds it was supposed to: A January 2011 report noted a shortfall of $412,690.85.
The society then brought four professional misconduct charges against Mr Tan, including for making unauthorised withdrawals and failing to keep proper accounting records.
Another disciplinary tribunal, convened to look into this matter, found him guilty and referred the case to be dealt with by the Court of Three Judges.
No criminal charges have been formally brought against Mr Tan so far.
Source: Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd.
The money was in a bank account used to hold the firm's clients' funds for use in ongoing transactions. By withdrawing the money without permission, Mr Tan Tiong Hian, Raymond, 44, had breached the rules governing how lawyers may handle money belonging to their clients.
The decision yesterday followed an application by the Law Society to a Court of Three Judges for Mr Tan, a lawyer of 17 years, to be struck off the rolls for professional misconduct.
The Court of Three Judges is the highest disciplinary body in the legal profession here. Mr Tan, the sole proprietor of the firm, T H Tan Raymond & Co, did not attend the hearing yesterday.
The society had been tipped off by the Commercial Affairs Department in November 2010 that Mr Tan was being investigated for possible misappropriation of money from his firm's client account.
It then asked to examine the firm's accounts, but Mr Tan asked for more time.
Separately, the same month, a disciplinary tribunal appointed by the Chief Justice found that Mr Tan had failed to account for $4,000 he received on behalf of another client, Mr David Peh.
The lawyer had received the money that was meant to pay a debt owed to Mr Peh.
Mr Peh then complained to the Law Society as he did not get the money.
In December 2010, the society intervened by taking over the client account of Mr Tan's law firm.
After inspecting the records, it believed the account did not have the funds it was supposed to: A January 2011 report noted a shortfall of $412,690.85.
The society then brought four professional misconduct charges against Mr Tan, including for making unauthorised withdrawals and failing to keep proper accounting records.
Another disciplinary tribunal, convened to look into this matter, found him guilty and referred the case to be dealt with by the Court of Three Judges.
No criminal charges have been formally brought against Mr Tan so far.
Source: Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd.
