Tag: GRO0738

Milward Failure: Mr. R. A. Pinsent, president of the Birmingham Law Society, occupied the chair at the annual meeting Wednesday, in the Library, Bennett’s Hill, and moved the adoption of the report. Reviewing various events of the year, he pointed to “one subject,” which he should be glad to pass over in silence. He referred to “a prominent member of the profession, and a member of the committee, who had brought disgrace upon himself and discredit upon his profession, and disaster upon a great number of innocent people.” The penalty of his misdeeds had been exacted, and the speaker was anxious in what he said not cause unnecessary pain those who must feel more than they did any reference to the subject – But he felt it would not be right at the first general meeting of the profession after the public disclosures to pass it by without expressing the sense of humiliation they all felt – He, however, claimed that in spite of the shock of the recent disclosures, the profession still retained its most trusted position and enjoyed the confidence of its clients.

Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.

Referenced

GRO0738 Devonport: Richard Alfred Pinsent: 1852 – 1948

Presiding at the annual meeting of the Birmingham Law Society on Wednesday, Mr. R. A. Pinsent referred to the recent conviction of R. H. Milward, for the misappropriation of trust money. He expressed regret that a prominent member of the profession, and a well-known member of the committee, had brought disgrace upon himself, discredit upon the profession, and disaster upon a great number of innocent people. They all felt the humiliation to the profession, but he did not think that the relations of trust between lawyer and client had been affected by the shock. Be urged his brother lawyers to avoid the practice of scrivening, to have their own accounts audited, and to secure the insertion in wills and settlements of auditing clauses and see that they were acted upon.

Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.

Referenced

GRO0738 Devonport: Richard Alfred Pinsent: 1852 – 1948

Birmingham Law Society and the Milward Case: Mr. R. A. Pinsent, president of the Birmingham Law Society, speaking at the annual meeting on Wednesday, viewed the Milward case from many aspects. Referring to the mixing of clients’ money, he said for a long time the law was that any agent must rigidly comply with the written directions as to the application of money. That was extended in directions which were not written, but he would like members of the profession to step further, and, without directions, to take care that money which was entrusted to them was kept rigidly separate. He did not suggest that an honest man would become dishonest if he mixed his own money with his clients’, nor that the dishonest man would be honest if kept the accounts separate, but it was the first step that counted, and he was sure if all of them from the beginning made it a rule to keep their clients’ money separate from own, a great source of temptation would be entirely avoided.

Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.

Referenced

GRO0738 Devonport: Richard Alfred Pinsent: 1852 – 1948

The public mind divides lawyers into two great classes of honest and dishonest. When considering the professions and walks of life it gives necessary consideration to the proportion of mere weakness in human nature, but the defaulting solicitor is always set down as a knave. Now, the law admits of as much simple frailty as the Church, medicine, or commerce, while the temptations are at least as strong and as frequent. Mr. R. A. Pinsent’s counsel to the members of the Birmingham law society yesterday afternoon, when he drew lessons from the Milward case for their benefit, was founded on recognition of this fact. In a carefully considered and really valuable address, he pointed out the importance of avoiding temptation. Anything in the nature of scrivening — the reception of money intended to be lent on security, not in the name of the owner but that of the practitioner — was to be avoided. Clients’ money must not be mixed but kept rigidly separate. Auditing must be welcomed and encouraged. From these items, which formed the gist of Mr. Pinsent’s sermon, it will be seen what he means by the avoidance rather than the resistance of temptation. … …  (continues) … … Though the lawyer has so much greater opportunity that his fraud causes widespread suffering, his crime very often begins in a similar way. Mr. Pinsent has rendered good service by showing how “Get thee behind me, Satan” may be adopted as a practical policy in every lawyer’s office.

Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.

Referenced

GRO0738 Devonport: Richard Alfred Pinsent: 1852 – 1948

Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive