Conduct Of Morgan Bruce, Solicitors

EDM number 162 in 1996-97, proposed by Alan Williams on 07/11/1996.

That this House is profoundly concerned at the conduct of Morgan Bruce (Solicitors) in a ransom-strip case relating to the Whitegates estate, Swansea; notes that after threateningly worded letters to residents on the site, Morgan Bruce has issued writs to prevent them and their children using the access road; notes that these residents are innocent victims in the dispute between Morgan Bruce's clients (OIS) and Swansea Council; is disgusted at solicitors trying to panic residents into pressurising the Council to make a ú2 million settlement to their clients, who cower behind the anonymity of a Turks and Caicos registered company; is concerned that many residents are frightened by this legalised bludgeoning; is shocked that, already acting on behalf of OIS, Morgan Bruce completed conveyance work for property on the site, allegedly without warning the purchasing clients of the existence of, nor Morgan Bruce's role in, the dispute; notes that the Lords of Appeal giving judgement on the access case said that 'for completeness Mr Davies (instructed by Morgan Bruce) has assured us that OIS does not intend to prevent access to the rear land'; invites the noble Lords of Appeal to consider whether the Court of Appeal was misled; and expects the Law Society to consider whether Morgan Bruce's conveyancing Whitegates property was a conflict of interest, whether the alleged failure to warn the purchaser was dereliction of a solicitor's duty and whether issuing writs is a contempt to the Court of Appeal.

This motion has been signed by a total of 26 MPs.