Barrister disbarred for professional misconduct over fee note

A practising barrister has been disbarred following findings of professional misconduct over a dishonestly submitted fee note.

Julian Boyd Orr, called in 1995, was ordered to be disbarred following a disciplinary tribunal.

The Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service found Orr had dishonestly submitted a fee note for court proceedings. He claimed £1,000 plus VAT ‘knowing that the fee stated was false’, the Bar Standards Board said.

Orr had agreed a fee of £500 plus VAT for the relevant work.

He was found to have ‘acted dishonestly in subsequently seeking to explain the higher fee in a witness statement which he knew would be used in assessment proceedings’.

A BSB spokesperson said: ‘The tribunal found that Mr Orr had acted dishonestly in relation to this fee note and their decision to disbar Mr Orr reflects that dishonesty is wholly incompatible with membership of the bar.’

The tribunal’s decision is open to appeal.

Orr is suspended from practice immediately. The disbarment will come into effect only after any appeal or once the ‘usual time period has elapsed’ if no appeal is made.