The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) found Irving’s behaviour amounted to professional misconduct and unsatisfactory professional conduct and recommended the Supreme Court remove his name from the roll of legal practitioners.

“The public are not only entitled to expect a high degree of integrity from legal practitioners, they are entitled to expect that legal practitioners will obey the law. The respondent failed to do so on multiple occasions over a protracted period,” Justice Burns said.

Between November and December 2019, while he was employed at Moloney MacCallum Abdelshahied Lawyers (MMA Lawyers), surveillance revealed Irving was involved in the supply of cocaine.

Between November 2019 and the following January, Irving received $13,050 for legal fees and deposited this into MMA Lawyers’ trust account. Irving was charged with money laundering because he knew the money had been obtained by the client from selling drugs.

QCAT heard that between August 2019 and February 2020, Irving received cash payments totalling $15,500 from nine clients of MMA Lawyers that he dishonestly applied for his own use. He also failed to make required cost disclosures in respect of a $4,500 cash payment.

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During and after speaking to the Crime and Corruption Commission, Irving provided deliberately false evidence and advised his partner to give false evidence about his involvement in criminal activities.

Irving was also convicted for signing a statutory declaration to falsely shift blame for a speeding offence to another person.

He was sentenced to terms of imprisonment, but it was wholly suspended for an operational period of two to three years.

Justice Burns said the tribunal was satisfied Irving is “permanently unfit to practice”.

“Accordingly, it will be ordered that his name be removed from the local roll in Queensland,” Justice Burns said.

The case: Legal Services Commissioner v Irving [2025] QCAT 197 (30 May 2025)