The chair of the public access bar association has been fined £3,000 after a tribunal found him to be his ‘own worst enemy’ in dealing with a complaint.
Timothy Becker, called to the bar in 1992, was found to have behaved in a way which was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in him or in the profession when he failed to make monthly payments in a timely manner, as agreed, following a Legal Ombudsman decision, and when in correspondence with a client he made unacceptable, insulting and rude comments about the LeO and its decision.
Becker also admitted, in part, that he failed to respond to the LeO’s requests of him in a timely manner from 27 June. Three further charges, relating to lack of integrity, were found not proved by the five-person panel following a day-long hearing.
Returning the Bar Tribunals & Adjudication Service’s findings, the chair His Honour Martyn Zeidman KC said: ‘In our view, Mr Becker you have been your own worst enemy and I suspect you can see that yourself. If you had been polite and open and explained the difficulties that you were undoubtedly suffering from then you would never have got into this position.
‘In our unanimous view, it is not a lack of integrity but you have behaved badly.’
