RESULT: Struck off | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered November 23, 2019. || Guilty of Professional Misconduct | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered June 01, 2019.
FORMAL ORDER
OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL
COMPLAINT NO: 212/2017
IN THE MATTER OF VERONICA SMITH and HOWARD LETTMAN an Attorney-at-Law
AND
IN THE MATTER OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION ACT, 1971
PANEL:
Mr. Peter Champagnie
Miss Katherine Francis
Miss Annaliesa Lindsay
DECISION DELIVERED 23rd NOVEMBER 2019
UPON THE APPLICATION made under Section 12 (1) (a) of the Legal Profession Act and dated the 5th July, 2017and coming on for hearing before the Disciplinary Committee on the 8th December 2018
AND UPON the Complainant Veronica Smith appearing by skype and having given evidence on oath
AND UPON the Respondent Attorney-at-law Howard Lettman not appearing
AND UPON DUE CONSIDERATION of the sworn evidence of Veronica Smith
AND UPON the Committee having found the Attorney-at-law Howard Lettman guilty of professional misconduct
AND UPON the Attorney having been given the opportunity to make submissions in mitigation of sanction on the 23rd November 2019 to no avail
THE COMMITTEE FINDS THAT:
Attorney Howard Lettman is guilty of professional misconduct in that, the Attorney was retained by the Complainant to sell land situated in the parish of St. Elizabeth for the sum of $8.2m to the purchaser Miss Nadine Dawkins.
To facilitate the sale, the Complainant delivered to the Respondent the Duplicate Certificate of Title for the said land. As far as the Complainant is aware, the sale has not been completed and she has been unable to retrieve the Duplicate Certificate of Title or any information from the Respondent.
The Attorney has breached Canons I(b), IV(r) and IV(s) of the Legal Profession (Canon of Professional Ethics) Rules
PURSUANT TO THE FOREGOING FINDINGS THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY HEREBY ORDERS THAT: –
Pursuant to section 12 (5) (a) of the Legal Profession Act as amended:
- That the Respondent Attorney Howard Lettman be struck off the Roll of Attorneys entitled to practice in the several courts of Jamaica.
- That the Respondent Attorney to pay costs to the General Legal Council in the sum of $50,000.00.
- That the Respondent Attorney to pay costs to the Complainant in the sum of $50,000.00.
- Both sums to be paid on or before 31st January 2020.
Mr. Peter Champagnie
CHAIRMAN OF THE PANEL
Dated 23rd November 2019