The Australian Professional Liability Blog
Stephen Warne on professional negligence, regulation and discipline around the world
The unsuccessful complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, referred by her to the Victorian Bar, took more than 5 months to complete. Then the Law Institute complaint went on for about 2 months. The Legal Profession Tribunal made a decision 10 months later, the Full Legal Profession Tribunal 3 months later again. The Court of Appeal …
Continue reading “Daming He’s experience of the legal regulators”
Update: 17 January 2008 VCAT has re-heard this case, and has made different findings of fact from some of those recounted below. See He v A & Co Pty Ltd [2008] VCAT 3. Original post (This is part 2 of the post about He v A & Co Pty Ltd [2006] VSCA 150; [2006] VSCA …
Continue reading “The subject matter of Daming He’s complaint”
Update, 16 January 2008: VCAT has taken the shine off the Daming He story on the re-hearing of the matter remitted by the Court of Appeal, no doubt greatly devaluing the film rights. See [2008] VCAT 3. Acting President Bowman, and Members Shattock and Campbell found that Mr He was an unconvincing and not especially …
Continue reading “Daming He’s pro se triumph against his lawyers in the Court of Appeal”
I had heard the rumour a fair while ago from the most impeccable sources in VCAT and the Supreme Court that the Supreme Court’s Justice Bell was hot tip to take over from Judge Bowman as VCAT’s head. Now it’s confirmed. Frankly, though it would not be every lawyer’s cup of tea, it’s a great …
Continue reading “Justice Kevin Bell appointed VCAT’s President”
President Maxwell spoke at Jason Pizer’s book launch the other night. There is no nonsense about him, and no hubris. I liked the way he sorted out Mr He’s case, one which was sufficiently memorable for him to make reference to it in passing in his speech. The President is at pains to cast the …
On 13 December 2006, Justice Curtain jailed Elias Michael Bakhaazi, a solicitor, for three years and three months, with a non-parole period of eighteen months, and ordered him to pay back that part of the stolen funds that had not already been paid back: R v Bakhaazi[2006] VSC 496.Incidentally, he was Daming He‘s solicitor. He …
Continue reading “Michael Bakhaazi jailed for 3 years for stealing a quarter million dollars”
An elder statesman of Victoria’s professional discipline community quietly observed to me the other day that Victoria’s Legal Services Commissioner, Victoria Marles, is yet to lay a disciplinary charge before VCAT. That’s an average of none per month over the 16 months her office has existed. In view of the fact that she is required …
Continue reading “Rumour is, Legal Service Commissioner yet to lay a charge; VCAT news”