Law Society 'did everything it could' to help victims of Thomas Byrne
The Law Society claims that it has done everything in its power to help the victims of fraudster Thomas Byrne.
The struck-off solicitor from Mountjoy Square in Dublin was yesterday jailed for 12 years for transferring clients' homes into his name and using them as collateral for €52m in bank loans.
Victims of the 47-year-old's crimes have incurred heavy losses and may never recoup the value of their homes.
The Law Society - the professional body for solicitors - said that it moved quickly to shut down Byrne's practice.
Its Director General, Ken Murphy says it did everything it could to help the people Byrne defrauded.
"We took possession of over 3,300 files, we distributed those files to the clients, who were entitled to them,
"and also, in terms of claims on the society's compensation fund, where people had entrusted money to Thomas Byrne, and it had been lost through dishonesty, that money has been repaid.
"The damages cost the solicitors' profession who, in some respects, are also victims of Thomas Byrne and his activities, over €8m."
