A top north-east solicitor has been stripped of his licence to practise law as an investigation into alleged financial irregularities gets underway.
Stuart Murray, a former president of the Aberdeen Bar Association and vice president of the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, has had his licence to practise criminal law suspended with immediate effect within all courts in the UK.
Mr Murray – who is based in Aberdeen – has also worked on some high-profile legal cases, including representing US fugitive Nicholas Rossi.
It is understood an investigation is ongoing into Mr Murray’s financial activities and relates to his time with his previous firm.
The firm was dissolved earlier this year, with Mr Murray’s former law partner going solo and launching his own practice in the city.
The Law Society of Scotland said its Client Protection Sub-Committee withdrew Mr Murray’s Practising Certificate earlier this month due to “breaches of the accounts rules that apply to all Scottish solicitors”.
Mr Murray did not respond to requests to comment on the allegations.
‘We take regulatory duties seriously’
A Law Society spokesman said the decision was made “in accordance with section 40 of the Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980, which provides the Law Society with statutory powers related to accounts rules, including to ensure that proper records are kept and that client funds are protected.
“As the professional body for Scottish solicitors, we take our regulatory duties very seriously to ensure that people have confidence in the legal profession.
“In any case where we have reason to believe that one of our members has not met the high professional standards expected of them, we will take action to ensure that clients are protected.”
The Aberdeen Bar Association said it had been informed that Mr Murray had had his licence to practise law withdrawn.
It stated that Mr Murray had not held any executive or committee-level role since 2022, adding that he was “not a current member” of the association.
‘We trust appropriate steps are being taken’
The Aberdeen Bar Association, whose current president is Gary Sturrock, released a statement describing the legal profession as an institution “built upon the principles of integrity, trust, and professionalism, which we hold in the highest regard”.
It added: “We expect all of our members to maintain these standards.
“The regulation and oversight of solicitors in Scotland is the exclusive responsibility of the Law Society of Scotland and we trust that the appropriate steps are being taken in accordance with their procedures.
“Given that investigations may be ongoing, it would not be appropriate for the Aberdeen Bar Association to provide commentary on the specifics of this matter.”
The Scottish Solicitor’s Bar Association also confirmed that Mr Murray served as its former vice-president, but said he was no longer an office holder.
It added that it “wouldn’t be appropriate to comment at this stage” while the investigation was ongoing.
