Lawyer in property battle reprimanded

Published on Thursday 5 February 2009 01:32

TWO solicitors battling for business in an island's property market could barely exchange professional courtesies, a tribunal heard.

The fall-out from the conflict between Graeme Miller and Elizabeth Blair led to jobs being lost.

Mr Miller yesterday received an official reprimand for professional misconduct.

The Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal said he had not adequately supervised a member of staff who blacked out magazine adverts by the rival firm, Reid Blair.

Mr Miller, 46, whose firm, Miller Stewart, has offices in Glasgow, opened an office in Brodick, Arran, in 2000.

In two editions of the Glasgow Solicitors Property Centre magazine in 2006, adverts for two properties being sold through Reid Blair were covered by stickers.

The tribunal heard the defacing of the magazines happened in Mr Miller's office but not at his instigation. He established it had been the work of one of his staff.

James McCann, for Mr Miller, said in 2002 there was a "sudden onset of sustained personal malice and hostility" by Ms Blair towards Mr Miller. He could not explain this.

It was alleged Ms Blair had tried to persuade former clients to make complaints against Mr Miller.

It was also claimed she abused a free service offered by Mr Miller to clients, in which their property was appraised and valued.

"Mr McCann stated Mr Miller eventually accepted he could not win the battle and sold his estate agency in June 2007 to his senior estate agency manager. But the other three members of staff lost their jobs," said the tribunal.

It held Mr Miller to be guilty of professional misconduct.