Former practitioner ordered to refund fees and apologise to client for overcharging

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) found that a former practitioner (Mr P) engaged in unsatisfactory conduct by overcharging a client $12,442.63. The Tribunal considered the overcharging was of “modest scope” and had not been done deliberately, commending the practitioner for accepting that the client was…

Lawyer suspended for 15 months for “appalling and uncouth” conduct at Christmas parties

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) has found a practitioner, referred to as ZKA, engaged in misconduct at two work Christmas parties. The conduct involved inappropriate touching, as well as “objectifying and de-humanising comments” directed mostly towards junior staff members. The Tribunal suspended ZKA…

Lawyer struck off for misappropriating client funds

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) struck off a lawyer after she admitted misappropriating client funds. Over an eight-month period the lawyer (Ms M) transferred $203,000 in client funds from her trust account to her business accounts without authorisation. Ms M admitted to using the funds…

Lawyer censured and fined $3000 for convictions that tend to bring the profession into disrepute

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) fined and censured Wellington lawyer David Fordyce (Mr Fordyce) for being convicted of imprisonable offences which tended to bring the profession into disrepute. Mr Fordyce was convicted of driving with excess breath alcohol and then drove whilst suspended three weeks…

Lawyer suspended for harassing a fellow practitioner

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) suspended Auckland lawyer Gautam Jindal (Mr Jindal) for six months after he was found to have engaged in misconduct by publishing a website and printing flyers accusing Mr Y, a lawyer, of lying under oath in civil proceedings. The flyers were…

Lawyer suspended for improperly obtaining and disclosing neighbour’s criminal history

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) has suspended Auckland lawyer Nicholas Wintour (Mr Wintour) after he was found to have engaged in misconduct by improperly accessing and disclosing private information. The Tribunal commented “as a criminal lawyer, Mr Wintour ought to understand the sensitivity of such…

Lawyer suspended for failing to comply with an information request from Standards Committee

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) has suspended Auckland lawyer Tae Wok Kwon (Mr Kwon) after he refused to comply with an information request from a standards committee. The Tribunal considered Mr Kwon had willfully refused to comply with the request and therefore engaged in misconduct.…

Former practitioner struck off for committing mortgage fraud

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) has struck off former lawyer Francis Peters for his role in a mortgage fraud scheme. Together with family members and an associate, Mr Peters made false representations, supported by falsified documents, to a bank and solicitors in order to obtain…

Practitioner censured, fined and ordered to refund fees for poor treatment of client

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) has found that Auckland lawyer Olinda Woodroffe has engaged in misconduct. The Tribunal found that Mrs Woodroffe failed to advise her client about security for costs, disclosed confidential details during a radio broadcast and failed to treat the client with…

Former practitioner censured and fined for failing to discharge duties to client in estate matter

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyances Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) found former practitioner John Vincent McCardle (Mr McCardle) guilty of unsatisfactory conduct for claiming a fee to which he was not entitled and attempting to pass the administration of an estate to a lay beneficiary without taking proper steps to…