FOLLOWING the announcement that Lloyd Davies, founder of Convey Law, had been disqualified from being regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, has issued a personal written apology to the industry.
Davies, 55 who lives near Ross-on-Wye, was found guilty of misconduct and misleading students registered with training company the Conveyancing Academy.
Mr Davies said: “In 2019, an unscrupulous, and dishonest academy training manger, who was subsequently found guilty of gross misconduct, compromised the Council for Licensed Conveyancers examinations of two of our Convey Law directors.
“In 2021 the regulator of these courses, the Scottish Qualification Authority, illegally suspended the academy pending the outcome of their investigation into this matter.
“The investigation took ten months to complete. Both of my fellow directors and I were found not guilty, but the authority still terminated its training agreement with the academy.
“Two years ago, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers instigated proceedings against me and my colleague for failing to tell academy students about the ‘confidential’ Scottish Qualification Authority investigation.
“My sincere apologies to the eight students whose courses were delayed as a result and our two directors who, despite being found innocent, were so chronically impacted by the investigations, have since left the profession.
“The investigation took a full two years to conclude, and this included an abandoned trial.
“I was in no way confident of a fair trial and to secure the exoneration of my colleague, I agreed to surrender my Licensed Conveyancer practising license.
The prosecution was neither proportionate or fair and the conduct of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers in relation to all of these matters requires independent investigation.
“My sincere apologies again to everyone effected by these chronic events. Thank you to my colleagues and friends for their support and love throughout some very dark and difficult times over the course of the last five years.