Solicitor, 48, who worked on cases for struggling clients for free killed himself after racking up huge debts
- For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
A solicitor who took on cases for free to help struggling clients ended his life after accumulating huge debts, an inquest heard.
Marcus Malin, 48, took his own life and was found dead in his car on December 9, 2022, near West Tytherley, Hampshire.
The hearing was told he had left a note on his phone referring to a ‘mess’ caused by charging too little.
He was revealed to have accumulated unpayable fines amounting to thousands of pounds worth of debt, the Times reported.
Mr Malin, who practiced family law, routinely offered ‘pro bono’ work to help clients without the means to pay, especially those involving children, the inquest heard.
Winchester coroner’s court heard that the solicitor’s financial difficulties had led to an investigation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
Winchester coroner’s court heard that the solicitor’s financial difficulties had led to an investigation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) which ‘could have ended with him in a lot of trouble’, his father said.
His father, Michael Malin, paid tribute to his son who was well loved by his clients and described as ‘always bright and happy on the outside’.
But he said ‘his mother and myself used to say we didn’t know him’.
Mr Malin added: ‘I think Marcus was particualrly soft and he would go for cases where children were involved and he didn’t have much money because he was doing things for people that couldn’t afford a lot.
‘He had financial problems because he did things for free and he got to the stage of failing to pay parking fines.’
Marcus Malin was contacted by the SRA which could have resulted in his investigation.
His father told the inquest he believed Marcus had been contacted by the body and likely worried an investigation would ‘end with him in a lot of trouble because solicitors aren’t allowed to have county court convictions.’
Marcus had allegedly accumulated fines including parking tickets costing thousands of pounds, his father said.
Mr Malin was found dead on December 9 last year.
Police were called to a property following a report of concern for the welfare of a man in his forties. The SRA confirmed his death on December 10.
The inquest into his death was adjourned until September 2023.
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
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