Lawyers and criminal records
Discussion
Is it plausible that someone with a criminal record for dangerous driving has become a solicitor?
Apparently the conviction was when he was 19, then he got his law degree in his late twenties and when straight into solicitor training. No other convictions at all.
I'd have thought the law society would have something to say about this, and I'm told it was certainly dangerous driving, not careless.
Seems odd to me, in fact it's pretty unusual for someone to have one dangerous driving conviction but no other convictions at all. Not even motoring offences.
Apparently the conviction was when he was 19, then he got his law degree in his late twenties and when straight into solicitor training. No other convictions at all.
I'd have thought the law society would have something to say about this, and I'm told it was certainly dangerous driving, not careless.
Seems odd to me, in fact it's pretty unusual for someone to have one dangerous driving conviction but no other convictions at all. Not even motoring offences.
Dr J. You seem to have a specific person in mind. Do you have more information?
Why on earth should you think it: " Seems odd to me, in fact it's pretty unusual for someone to have one dangerous driving conviction but no other convictions at all. Not even motoring offences." What possible basis could you have for that statement?
Surely one conviction for DD at the tender age of 19yrs, should not blight his life forever.
I was convicted of DWDC when I was 16. I allegedly went through a red light, I swore it was just changing as I went through. The court thought otherwise. Shortly afterwards there was a fatal crash at the same junction. It transpired that the lights were out of sync. Was my conviction quashed, like hell it was. Could I have pursued it through the courts, probably, but at that age you have other things on your mind. Should that disqualify me from being a lawyer if that's what I wanted to be?
Why on earth should you think it: " Seems odd to me, in fact it's pretty unusual for someone to have one dangerous driving conviction but no other convictions at all. Not even motoring offences." What possible basis could you have for that statement?
Surely one conviction for DD at the tender age of 19yrs, should not blight his life forever.
I was convicted of DWDC when I was 16. I allegedly went through a red light, I swore it was just changing as I went through. The court thought otherwise. Shortly afterwards there was a fatal crash at the same junction. It transpired that the lights were out of sync. Was my conviction quashed, like hell it was. Could I have pursued it through the courts, probably, but at that age you have other things on your mind. Should that disqualify me from being a lawyer if that's what I wanted to be?
IanA2 said:
Dr J. You seem to have a specific person in mind. Do you have more information?
Why on earth should you think it: " Seems odd to me, in fact it's pretty unusual for someone to have one dangerous driving conviction but no other convictions at all. Not even motoring offences." What possible basis could you have for that statement?
Surely one conviction for DD at the tender age of 19yrs, should not blight his life forever.
I was convicted of DWDC when I was 16. I allegedly went through a red light, I swore it was just changing as I went through. The court thought otherwise. Shortly afterwards there was a fatal crash at the same junction. It transpired that the lights were out of sync. Was my conviction quashed, like hell it was. Could I have pursued it through the courts, probably, but at that age you have other things on your mind. Should that disqualify me from being a lawyer if that's what I wanted to be?
I do have someone in mind, but I don't want to identify them.Why on earth should you think it: " Seems odd to me, in fact it's pretty unusual for someone to have one dangerous driving conviction but no other convictions at all. Not even motoring offences." What possible basis could you have for that statement?
Surely one conviction for DD at the tender age of 19yrs, should not blight his life forever.
I was convicted of DWDC when I was 16. I allegedly went through a red light, I swore it was just changing as I went through. The court thought otherwise. Shortly afterwards there was a fatal crash at the same junction. It transpired that the lights were out of sync. Was my conviction quashed, like hell it was. Could I have pursued it through the courts, probably, but at that age you have other things on your mind. Should that disqualify me from being a lawyer if that's what I wanted to be?
I certainly wasn't suggesting that the conviction SHOULD prevent him being a solicitor, I was just a bit surprised that having a criminal record didn't prevent him becoming one. DWDC doesn't involve a criminal record so is rather different. I knew someone who looked into becoming a magistrate and was told no chance on the basis of a drink driving conviction from several years before.
As for saying it's unusual for someone to have a dangerous driving conviction but no other offences, I read something to this effect years ago but I can't remember the figures. Something like 80% have either additional recordable offences or additional motoring offences.
Dr Jekyll said:
IanA2 said:
Dr J. You seem to have a specific person in mind. Do you have more information?
Why on earth should you think it: " Seems odd to me, in fact it's pretty unusual for someone to have one dangerous driving conviction but no other convictions at all. Not even motoring offences." What possible basis could you have for that statement?
Surely one conviction for DD at the tender age of 19yrs, should not blight his life forever.
I was convicted of DWDC when I was 16. I allegedly went through a red light, I swore it was just changing as I went through. The court thought otherwise. Shortly afterwards there was a fatal crash at the same junction. It transpired that the lights were out of sync. Was my conviction quashed, like hell it was. Could I have pursued it through the courts, probably, but at that age you have other things on your mind. Should that disqualify me from being a lawyer if that's what I wanted to be?
I do have someone in mind, but I don't want to identify them.Why on earth should you think it: " Seems odd to me, in fact it's pretty unusual for someone to have one dangerous driving conviction but no other convictions at all. Not even motoring offences." What possible basis could you have for that statement?
Surely one conviction for DD at the tender age of 19yrs, should not blight his life forever.
I was convicted of DWDC when I was 16. I allegedly went through a red light, I swore it was just changing as I went through. The court thought otherwise. Shortly afterwards there was a fatal crash at the same junction. It transpired that the lights were out of sync. Was my conviction quashed, like hell it was. Could I have pursued it through the courts, probably, but at that age you have other things on your mind. Should that disqualify me from being a lawyer if that's what I wanted to be?
I certainly wasn't suggesting that the conviction SHOULD prevent him being a solicitor, I was just a bit surprised that having a criminal record didn't prevent him becoming one. DWDC doesn't involve a criminal record so is rather different. I knew someone who looked into becoming a magistrate and was told no chance on the basis of a drink driving conviction from several years before.
As for saying it's unusual for someone to have a dangerous driving conviction but no other offences, I read something to this effect years ago but I can't remember the figures. Something like 80% have either additional recordable offences or additional motoring offences.
carinaman said:
Dr Jekyll said:
Seems odd to me, in fact it's pretty unusual for someone to have one dangerous driving conviction but no other convictions at all. Not even motoring offences.
I wouldn't agree with that. Seems you can be a solicitor with convictions for far more serous offences than dangerous driving (a pols for Daily Mail link, it was the first that Google threw up)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2290940/Ro...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2290940/Ro...
Dr Jekyll said:
Have you checked with the law society yet whether they will let you be a solicitor or barrister?
It's not up to the Law Society. The Law Society has nothing to do with barristers, and is no longer the regulator of solictors.A bloke I know was done for criminal damage when he was an undergraduate. He is now a successful silk.
The apparent notion that a driving conviction should blight someone's career seems to me mean spirited, and it's also unrealistic.
Breadvan72 said:
The apparent notion that a driving conviction should blight someone's career seems to me mean spirited, and it's also unrealistic.
Indeed. That would be like banning you from here for your two speeding offences and your Speed Awareness Course piece. 
That Range Rover was a licence loser.
Breadvan72 said:
Why should that conviction have the slightest bearing on this person's ability to practise law? What do you think should happen, OP? Do something bad when you are 19 and pay for it for the rest of your life?
I'm not saying it has any bearing on his ability to practice law, neither am I suggesting it SHOULD have any effect on his chances of qualifying as a solicitor. I'm just somewhat surprised that a criminal record isn't a barrier to becoming a solicitor, and the link to the Solicitors Regulation Authority would imply that it is, even if not an impassable one.Anyway, what's the point of maintaining criminal records if not to be relevant for the rest of someone's life?
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