Disciplinary Record - Mei Hing Leong

Barrister Status:

Disbarred

Called:

Jul 1982

Inn:

Lincoln's Inn

Hearing type:

Disciplinary Tribunal (5 Person)

Tribunal panel members:

Mr David Crompton

, 

Mrs Deborah Spring

, 

Her Honour Penny Cushing

, 

Miss Siobhan Heather Heron

Decision date

05/12/2019

Breach details:

Professional misconduct contrary to rC8, rC65.3, rC65.7 and/or Core Duty 5 and Core Duty 9 of the Code of Conduct of the Bar of England and Wales contained within the Bar Standards Board Handbook (9th Edition).

Offence details:

Mei Leong, an unregistered barrister, behaved in a way likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in him or in the profession and/or which could reasonably be seen by the public to undermine his honesty, integrity and independence, in that, in around January 2014, while in practice as an Advocate and Solicitor in Malaysia, and while acting for a client in the sale of the client’s property, he dishonestly failed to release to his client the sum of RM87,710, being all or part of the balance of the purchase price which he had received on behalf of his client. By order dated 14 April 2017, he was struck off the Roll of Advocates and Solicitors of the High Court of Malaya, following a finding of the Disciplinary Committee on 16 December 2016 that he had by his dishonest conduct caused his client to lose the sum of RM87,710.

Mei Leong, an unregistered barrister, failed to co-operate with the Bar Standards Board and/or failed to report promptly or at all to the Bar Standards Board that to his knowledge he was the subject of disciplinary or other regulatory or enforcement action by another regulator, in that, following a complaint made on or around 3 September 2015 by his client when he was in practice as an Advocate and Solicitor in Malaysia, on 16 December 2016, the Disciplinary Committee found that he had by his dishonest conduct caused his client to lose the sum of RM87,710 and, on 14 April 2017, he was ordered to be struck off the Roll of Advocates and Solicitors of the High Court of Malaya. Mei Leong failed to report any of these matters to the Bar Standards Board, which only became aware of them after the Bar Council of Malaysia notified the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn by letter dated 19 October 2017 that he had been struck off.
Mei Leong, an unregistered barrister, failed to report promptly or at all to the Bar Standards Board that he had committed serious misconduct, in that, in around January 2014, while in practice as an Advocate and Solicitor in Malaysia, and while acting for a client in the sale of the client’s property, he dishonestly failed to release to his client the sum of RM87,710, being all or part of the balance of the purchase price which he had received on behalf of his client. By order dated 14 April 2017, he was struck off the Roll of Advocates and Solicitors of the High Court of Malaya, pursuant to the finding of the Disciplinary Committee on 16 December 2016 that he had by his dishonest conduct caused his client to lose the sum of RM87,710.

Sanction:

Disbarred. Sentence came into effect on 20 January 2020.

Status:

Final