ONE of Scotland's leading lawyers has been declared bankrupt over debts owed by his former firm.
Cameron Fyfe, one of the country's most high-profile solicitors, has had his licence to practise suspended after going bust with debts of almost £140,000.
The money relates to bills owed by legal firm Ross Harper, which collapsed last year with debts of more than £2.6 million.
Mr Fyfe, 59, of Glasgow, was a partner in the firm and had been targeted by its creditors, including banks, landlords and the taxman.
Mr Fyfe, who now works for Glasgow law firm Drummond Miller, is not able to practise law at the moment as his licence has been suspended in light of the sequestration. He is applying for a restricted law licence to allow him to continue to practise.
Mr Fyfe applied for the bankruptcy himself after facing debts of £139,446 and it was approved by the Accountant In Bankruptcy, Scotland's insolvency service, on Wednesday.
Bryan Jackson, of insolvency specialists BDO, has been appointed to take control of his assets and try to recover money owed to creditors.
Yesterday, Mr Fyfe said: "This is to do with the collapse of Ross Harper. They were coming after me because I was a partner there."
Last night a spokesman for accountants BDO said: "Mr Fyfe applied for sequestration due to past joint liabilities linked to his involvement with the now ceased law firm Ross Harper.
"Despite Mr Fyfe having resigned from Ross Harper in November 2010 he remained legally liable for debts incurred at the firm, for example long-term property leases, and it is due to these debts that Mr Fyfe has now made his application.
"As he has been sequestrated he is now applying for a restricted law licence from the Law Society of Scotland to allow him to continue to practise."
Mr Fyfe specialises in personal injury law and has represented a number of high-profile clients. He was involved in the first Scottish court action for the annulment of an arranged marriage and the first successful claim for compensation in Scotland under the Human Rights Act for an unlawfully imprisoned client.
His recent clients have included a woman who claims she was raped by Dundee United footballer David Goodwillie and a trainee priest who claims he was abused by Cardinal Keith O'Brien.
The Law Society of Scotland said Mr Fyfe's licence would be automatically suspended but said he could apply to have it restored.
A spokeswoman said: "If a solicitor has been sequestrated his or her practising certificate is suspended, which means they cannot practise as a solicitor.
"Solicitors can apply to have their practising certificate restored. An application would be considered by the Law Society's practising certificate sub-committee before it could be restored."
There was widespread shock when Ross Harper, which was set up in 1961 with former law professor Ross Harper at the helm, ceased trading.
Several partners, including Mr Fyfe, walked out after rows over the way the firm was being run and judicial factors were appointed by the Law Society of Scotland to investigate finances and client funds held at the company.
In 2006 the firm claimed more legal aid than any other in Scotland, with subsidies of more than £1.8m. Around 25 staff lost their jobs when it was sequestrated.
Earlier this year, two other former partners, Joseph Mullen and Paul McHolland, went bankrupt with debts of more than £2.7m each.
Many of Scotland's most respected lawmen came from the Ross Harper stable, including former First Minister Donald Dewar.
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