The High Court has ordered that missing solicitor Michael Lynn be struck off the roll of solicitors and must pay a total of €2 million in fines to the Law Society.
The court will hear proceedings for the striking off of solicitor Thomas Byrne, whose practice at Walkinstown Road, Dublin, has been closed by the Law Society, next month.
The chairman of the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal said yesterday that Mr Byrne, who forged signatures to obtain loans from banks and building societies, behaved in a “disgraceful fashion” causing serious loss to financial institutions and his clients.
In April, the tribunal recommended unprecedented fines totalling €2 million against Mr Lynn and said he should be struck off.
It has been estimated that Mr Lynn, whose whereabouts are unknown, may owe a number of banks more than €80 million. Previously, the largest fines recommended by the tribunal had been €50,000 against solicitors Henry Colley and Colm Carroll earlier this year.