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Solicitor suspended as Law Society seeks access to the practice files

High Court told solicitor Ian McSweeney had not been co-operating with efforts to examine his practice

The court heard that the solicitor, by way of email, had said the office he worked from in Balbriggan was now closed and that he had “reached the end of the road” in terms of running his legal practice. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien
The court heard that the solicitor, by way of email, had said the office he worked from in Balbriggan was now closed and that he had “reached the end of the road” in terms of running his legal practice. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien
Colm Keena
Mon Nov 11 2024 - 18:39

A solicitor who had an office in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was suspended from practising by the High Court on Monday after it was told clients and institutions have been having difficulty getting in contact with him.

The President, Mr Justice David Barniville, was told an accountant with the Law Society had been seeking access to the records of the practice of solicitor Ian McSweeney, of McSweeney Solicitors, formerly of Dublin Street, Balbriggan, but had not received the promised co-operation.

Solicitor Mary Fenelon, for the society, said it was seeking orders that would allow it take over the files and funds of the practice so it could deal with them and that Mr McSweeney be suspended pending the completion of the society’s inquiries.

She told Mr Justice Barniville she had received an email from Mr McSweeney “twenty minutes ago” saying he would not be attending the afternoon hearing.

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The court heard that Mr McSweeney, by way of email, had said the office he worked from in Balbriggan was now closed and that he had “reached the end of the road” in terms of running his legal practice.

In email communications he said he wanted to wind down his practice in an orderly way, that he had health issues, and that he had not made a success of running his practice.

The situation was one of trying to “flog a dead horse” rather than anything “more sinister”, he had said.

Mr Justice Barniville granted the orders sought. He also granted an order against Mr McSweeney, sought by Mr David Dodd BL, for the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, for the payment of €5,000 to a former client who had complained to the authority about the inadequacy of the legal service provided by Mr McSweeney.

Colm Keena

Colm Keena

Colm Keena is an Irish Times journalist. He was previously legal-affairs correspondent and public-affairs correspondent