Law Society chief 'gross misconduct' over character reference for sex offender cousin
Law Society chief executive David Lavery has been found to have committed gross misconduct over his character reference for a cousin convicted of sex offences.
Mr Lavery has already been sacked from his position on the Northern Ireland Humans Rights Commission over the controversy.
In a letter to Law Society members, its president Mark Boland has now revealed that Mr Lavery will be hit with “sanction short of dismissal” after being “found guilty of gross misconduct”.
The conclusion was reached after an internal disciplinary panel hearing, the president revealed, and Mr Lavery declined to exercise his right of appeal.
A planned special general meeting of the Law Society that was called over the controversy was due to happen tonight, but has been postponed.
Lawyers had complained of not getting enough information from the society about the chief executive’s position and what measures could result from the special meeting, with some suggesting a vote of no confidence in Mr Lavery.
At the heart of the issue was the conviction of William Lloyd-Lavery, a former schoolteacher who indecently assaulted four female pupils in the 1970s.
After the 77-year-old was found guilty in January this year, his cousin David Lavery provided a character reference on his behalf to the court.
In a previous statement, Mr Lavery expressed “profound regret” for doing so, while apologising for a “serious error in judgement” and for any hurt and distress he may have caused to any of the four victims in the case.
One of those victims has called for him to resign as Law Society chief executive.