Deloitte are refunding the Australian government after submitting an error strewn, AI generated report, which they charge 440k for.
Deloitte to Refund Government After Admitting AI-Generated Errors in $440K Report - Colitco
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Error strewn?!!
Strewth!!
Order sought over solicitorâs alleged use of rented Dublin apartment as Airbnb
MARY CAROLAN
Legal affairs Correspondent
A court order is being sought to restrain a man from allegedly unlawfully using his Dublin city centre apartment as an Airbnb.
The order is sought against Geoffrey Curran, a solicitor, who has since 2020 lived in an apartment at Blind Quay apartments, Exchange Street Lower in Dublin 8.
It is claimed that for a period believed to be more than a year he has operated an Airbnb from the property in breach of lease and without planning permission.
When the matter came before Judge John OâConnor at Dublin Circuit Civil Court yesterday, there was no appearance by, or on behalf of, Mr Curran.
Barrister David Geoghegan, instructed by Robert Coonan Solicitors, appeared for plaintiffs Robert Ranson, David Ranson and John Paul Ranson. They are company directors with addresses in Clontarf, Dublin, who have taken the proceedings as personal representatives of the estate of the late Robert Ranson snr.
Counsel said it was âsurprisingâ and âunusualâ Mr Curran was not in court or represented.
Counsel said he got court permission on October 7th to serve Mr Curran with short notice of the application via email and post and that was done later last week.
Before this, there was email correspondence about other matters between the plaintiffsâ solicitor, Mr Coonan, and Mr Curran, with the latter responding âalmost immediatelyâ to Mr Coonanâs emails, counsel said.
Injunction application
However, there was âradio silenceâ from Mr Curran since Mr Coonan emailed him on October 9th with the statement of claim concerning the injunction application, counsel said. A further email was sent to him on Monday, the eve of the court hearing, he said.
His side has a certificate of postage of the legal papers, Mr Geoghegan added. Mr Curran appeared to have put his head âin the sandâ.
Judge OâConnor rose to see if Mr Coonan could contact Mr Curran by phone. When the matter resumed, Mr Geoghegan said Mr Coonan did get in touch with Mr Curran but it was ânot a productive callâ. When asked whether he could attend court later yesterday, Mr Curran had said no, that he works in an international law firm in Dublin, counsel said.
Mr Geoghegan said it is âclearâ Mr Curran has the injunction papers.
Mr Curran, he said, had made a âludicrousâ suggestion that Mr Coonan hold up his phone in court so Mr Curran could explain his position to the judge.
The judge said a solicitor is an officer of the court who understands the rules of court. Having deemed the application was served, he adjourned the matter to Friday morning.
Courtâs list
It is not a question of what suits Mr Curran, there are other matters in the courtâs list, the judge said.
The plaintiffs claim that, under an April 1998 lease with Temple Bar Properties Ltd, the deceased Mr Ranson snr was leased the apartment at Blind Quay for 500 years. Under a residential sublease, they claim the apartment was sublet in 2020 to Mr Curran and another man, who has since left the apartment.
Mr Curran, it is claimed, is only permitted to use the property as a private dwelling for three people and is not permitted to operate a business from there or to take in lodgers or short-stay guests.
In their application, the plaintiffs want various orders, including restraining use of the property as an Airbnb, plus an account of profits from that alleged use.
They also say that, last July, a Residential Tenancies Board adjudicator determined that a notice of termination served by the landlord on Mr Curran last January was valid for reasons separate to those subject of the injunction proceedings.
Mr Curran has appealed the determination and remains in the apartment â which has a monthly rent of âŹ3,350 â pending the hearing of that appeal.
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Boats n Hoes
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A shitshow. Those top lawyers think theyâre very very special.
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His spending doesnât seem that bad compared to bankers tbh.
The cow is about to calve and heâs not even in the shedâŚ.
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More the goose is about to lay
This guy is a renowned bad egg. An absolute knave of the highest order.
Flatty will be shortly petitioning the court to cut all and any ties with him.
Id recommend the cunt be in mountjoy. For a 10 year stretch.
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Clare legend Johnny Callinans firm here.
Solicitors in legal dispute after mistakenly paying almost âŹ100,000 to estate of deceased client
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Summarise
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An Irish firm of solicitors mistakenly transferred close to âŹ100,000 to the estate of a deceased American client and has been unable to get the money back.
The error at Berwick Solicitors LLP happened in September 2021 but only came to light in January last year during an audit by the Law Society.
Since then the Galway city law firm has been seeking the money back, to no avail, and has now sued the executrix and sole beneficiary of the estate in a US court, alleging âunjust enrichmentâ.
The firm has also threatened to make a criminal complaint to gardaĂ.
However, the executrix says the money has already been dispersed and that it is too late for the solicitors to look for it back.
The unusual case involved proceeds from the sale in 2020 of two parcels of land in Mausmore, Co Clare, which were owned by Meredith Page Etchison, of Lexington, Kentucky. Berwick Solicitors acted on her behalf in the land sales.
The error was not discovered in five subsequent audits of the firmâs books
According to legal filings, one parcel of land sold for âŹ153,000, following which the law firm paid Ms Etchison âŹ99,111 in December 2020, after deductions and the retention of funds to address a potential capital gains tax liability.
The second parcel sold for âŹ37,000, with âŹ23,430 being transferred to Ms Etchison following deductions.
Ms Etchison, who worked in the horse industry and later owned a flower shop, died of complications from cancer at the age of 64 in June 2021.
On her death, Ms Etchisonâs cousin Helen Brooke McDonald, from Baltimore, Maryland, was appointed personal representative of her estate.
On September 15, 2021, the law firm erroneously paid âŹ160,664 to the estate, some âŹ99,111 more than the estate was due from the retained funds.
In a legal filing, the solicitors said the error was not discovered in five subsequent audits of the firmâs books by different firms of accountants and the Law Society.
However, it was finally discovered during a Law Society audit in January 2025.
The firm subsequently contacted Ms McDonald looking for the money back and filed a lawsuit against her at the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
The case is being taken by the firmâs partners David Higgins, John Callinan and Ronan Murphy.
A motion filed by Ms McDonald seeking the dismissal of the case before trial was rejected by the court last month.
Once the overpayment was identified, it becomes an issue for our regulatory body
In correspondence exhibited with the court, she said the administration of Ms Etchisonâs estate had closed, all funds had been disbursed, and she was discharged as executrix in June 2022.
Lawyers for Ms McDonald said in a legal filing that when she was contacted about the discrepancy two- and-a-half years later, she explained that any claim the firm might have was out of time due to a two-year statute of limitations under Kentucky law.
However, the Galway law firm was said to have âdoubled downâ that Ms McDonaldâs refusal to return the money was an âindictable offenceâ and that absent âpositive engagementâ from her meant the firm would file a criminal complaint with gardaĂ.
According to the legal filing, Berwick explained that âonce the overpayment was identified, it becomes an issue for our regulatory body and we must demonstrate that we are expeditiously dealing with itâ.
The court has now set a series of procedural deadlines to advance the case.
Bad but not as bad as filling their own pockets.
Careless Iâd say. But theyâll pay for it out of their own pockets.