Konstantinidis v Council of the Law Society of New South Wales [2020] NSWCA 227

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Konstantinidis v Council of the Law Society of New South Wales [2020] NSWCA 227 Hearing dates: On the papers Decision date: 23 September 2020 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1] Gleeson JA at [2] N Adams J at [28] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed as to grounds 1 and 3. (2) Set aside the decisions made by the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (the Tribunal) on 3 July 2019 and 20 February 2020 and in their place order that: (a) the disciplinary application made by the respondent on 7 January 2016 be dismissed; and (b) each party pay its own costs of the proceedings in the Tribunal. (3) The respondent pay the appellant's costs of the appeal as agreed or assessed. Catchwords: PROFESSIONS AND TRADES – legal practitioner – where disciplinary application against practitioner in New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal – where Law Society did not first comply with Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) ss 537(2) and s 540 – whether Tribunal lacked jurisdiction to hear complaints – where no objection to new point being raised on appeal – where parties seek consent orders – whether desirable to make anonymisation order relating to the Tribunal's decisions Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), ss 49(1), 64(1)(a), cls 29(1)(e) and (4) of Sch 5 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56(3) Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW), s 8 Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW), ss 255, 537(2), 540 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A Cases Cited: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Levitt [2018] NSWCA 247 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Konstantinidis v The Council of the Law Society of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 59 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Levitt [2019] HCATrans 78 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Konstantinidis [2019] NSWCATOD 104 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Konstantinidis (No 3) [2020] NSWCATOD 91 DRJ v Commissioner of Victims' Rights [2020] NSWCA 136 Hossain v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2018) 264 CLR 123 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v District Court of New South Wales (2004) 61 NSWLR 344; [2004] NSWCA 324 John Fairfax & Sons v Police Tribunal of New South Wales (1986) 5 NSWLR 465 Konstantinidis v The Council of the Law Society of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 59 Law Society of New South Wales v Konstantinidis [2017] NSWCATOD 105 Levitt v Council of the Law Society of New South Wales [2017] NSWSC 834 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZMTA (2019) 264 CLR 421 Misrachi v The Public Guardian [2019] NSWCA 67 Whisprun Pty Ltd v Dixon [2003] HCA 48; (2003) 77 ALJR 1598 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Simon Konstantinidis (Appellant) Council of the Law Society of New South Wales (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P Lowson (Appellant) T Wong SC / S Jeliba (Respondent)