A solicitor charged with having an alleged sexual relationship with an inmate had her practising certificate immediately suspended.
NSW Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) solicitor Vanessa Lee O’Bryan had her practising certificate for the year ending June 2026 immediately suspended.
According to the Office of the NSW Legal Services Commissioner’s (OLSC) Register of Disciplinary Action, the suspension was due to O’Bryan being “charged with a number of serious offences”.
In October, O’Bryan was charged with three counts of misconduct in public office, two counts of accessing or modifying restricted computer data, and one count of hindering the discovery of evidence in a serious indictable offence.
Police alleged O’Bryan “unlawfully accessed confidential information and had an inappropriate sexual relationship with an inmate”.
In a statement provided to Lawyers Weekly, a spokesperson from the ODPP shared that they had reported the solicitor’s “suspicious activity” to NSW Police, and the solicitor has been suspended.
“The NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) takes any criminal accusation extremely seriously and is cooperating with the NSW Police investigation,” the spokeswoman said.
“In September, the ODPP reported the staff member’s conduct to NSW Police after detecting suspicious activity.
“The solicitor has been suspended.
“The ODPP has safeguards and policies in place to restrict access to sensitive material, which operate in addition to the professional ethical obligations of legal practitioners.”
O’Bryan was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear before Ballina Local Court on Thursday, 11 December.
Other suspensions and refusals
The Council of the Law Society of NSW also resolved to immediately suspend Broken Hill solicitor Sorna Nachiappan’s practising certificate for the year ending 30 June 2026.
According to the register, Nachiappan inserted signatures into four costs agreements without authorisation, provided those to the OLSC in an attempt to mislead, and made a written statement to the OLSC in an attempt to mislead.
Nachiappan has been restricted from applying for another practising certificate for a period of two years.
Scott Edward Mort, solicitor with Greenoaks Construction Advisory, also had his practising certificate immediately suspended because it was “necessary in the public interest”.
For acting without instructions, failing to verify client’s authority to act, and filing witness statement without verifying client’s instructions, Zubin Hiramanek was refused a practising certificate.
A refusal was also made in respect of Darren Rodney Bobroff because he was “not a fit and proper person”.
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
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