A partner at Dundas & Wilson has been struck off after plagiarising a tender document from his own girlfriend.

In 2012 Keith Armstrong was a partner at the firm, which subsequently merged with CMS Cameron McKenna. His live-in partner, referred to in the judgment only as Ms B, was a business development manager for a competitor firm. Both firms were pitching for a chunky piece of work from five local councils.

When Renfrewshire, one of the councils, received the two tender documents it noticed some remarkable similarities. Both firms were contacted and partners at Ms B's firm was hauled in for a two hour meeting which was described as a "difficult experience". An investigation quickly revealed that Armstrong had got hold of his girlfriend's documents "without her knowledge or consent" and had done a cut and paste job.

    Armstrong yesterday

Armstrong immediately confessed and resigned from D&W. This week, after much deliberation, a tribunal decided that the offence was sufficiently serious that it had no choice but to strike him off, despite acknowledging "the catastrophic effect this one major error of judgement will have had on the Respondent’s life".

This all happened before Dundas merged with CMS, whose spokeswoman said she didn't "wish to offer comment". Which is also what Dundas said during its intitial investigation. Uh-oh.
Tip Off ROF

Comments

Anonymous 20 June 14 09:35

Always amazes me that people in such elevated positions will do naughty things. It's never worth it.

Anonymous 20 June 14 12:03

Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up a step: People actually READ tender documents? Weird. I thought they just judged them on weight and shiny presentation.

Anonymous 20 June 14 12:22

CMS must be delighted that they no longer need to worry about Dundas & Wilson lawyers copying their work - just the rest of the legal community who need to worry.

Anonymous 21 June 14 00:39

You can take the people out of the scheme but you can't take the scheme out of the people.

Anonymous 26 June 14 10:48

man, that is tough. surely a slap on the wrist? How many pitches are just cut and paste jobs? 1000s I'd guess.

Anonymous 26 June 14 20:24

AbsurdnessBrown if that is your view you may find you are next to be struck off! Cutting and pasting from another firm's work it a serious incident.