Solicitor suspended by High Court over missing millions from client account

The High Court has suspended a partner of a highly respected family law firm, and has frozen the practise's bank accounts, after being informed that €2.4m is missing from the firm's client's funds.

The court heard that Ruairi O'Ceallaigh, a partner in the firm Sean O'Ceallaigh & Co and who has admitted the wrongdoing, gambled the money, half of which was left to the Catholic Church, on stocks and shares.

He was also involved in the double mortgaging of four properties in which his brother and fellow partner in the firm Cormac O'Ceallaigh (aged 37) had given undertakings to AIB.

Today at the High Court Mr Justice Peter Charleton, following an application by the Law Society, suspend the practising certificate and freezing the bank accounts of solicitor Ruairi O'Ceallaigh (aged 39) a partner in the firm Sean O'Ceallaigh & Co, The Old Bank, Phibsborough, Dublin 7.

The Judge also ordered Ruairi not to dissipate or dispose of any of his assets. However the Judge, who dismissed an application to have the matter heard in private, dismissed the Law Society's application to make similar orders against Cormac.

The judge said that there was no evidence before the court to suggest that Cormac was anything other than an innocent party in what had occurred, and was "a responsible solicitor".