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While some of Australia’s biggest firms have started the new financial year by taking teams from their rivals, the courts have handed down penalties against practitioners. Here is your weekly round-up of the biggest stories for Australia’s legal profession.
For the week from 30 June to 4 July, these were the 10 most-read stories on Lawyers Weekly (in case you missed them):
1. Barrister penalised for ‘sexual touching’ of solicitor
A barrister has been ordered to apologise to a woman he touched without consent during a work Christmas event.
2. Reprimand for solicitor behind ‘dummy law firm’
An in-house solicitor was disciplined for sending a series of emails that breached a condition of his practising certificate.
3. Thomson Geer takes team of 17 from Holding Redlich
Following its recent promotion of 55 senior lawyers, national law firm Thomson Geer has poached the employment law team from BigLaw rival Holding Redlich.
4. Senior lawyer fined for drink-driving on suspended licence
A senior New Zealand lawyer has been fined thousands of dollars after being convicted of two serious driving offences committed just weeks apart.
5. Barrister’s admin error serves as warning to others, court says
Disciplinary action taken against a family law barrister who failed to properly renew her practising certificate should serve as a reminder that legal professionals must stay on top of their practice management responsibilities, a Supreme Court has said.
6. Gadens promotes 6 to partnership
National law firm Gadens has elevated six lawyers to partner across Melbourne and Brisbane, bringing its partnership to 39 per cent female.
7. Lander & Rogers takes Clayton Utz team to launch Canberra office
National law firm Lander & Rogers has opened a new office in Canberra, marking its fourth location nationwide, with a nine-person team taken from the Clayton Utz Canberra office to lead the expansion.
8. Penalty for solicitor who ignored elderly client’s ‘red flags’
Disciplinary action has been taken against a Victorian solicitor who executed a new power of attorney despite a number of “red flags” that indicated the client lacked mental capacity.
9. Dentons nabs employment team from Deloitte Legal
Dentons has taken a highly experienced employment lawyer and her team of three from Deloitte Legal.
10. Townsville firm fights investigation into claim farming allegations
A Townsville law firm suspected of “claim farming” has challenged the part of the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 that allowed for the appointment of an investigator to look into the allegations.
