Ronald Adrian Powles [1996] NSWLST 10

The Legal Services Tribunal of New South Wales

CITATION : Ronald Adrian Powles [1996] NSWLST 10 PARTIES : Ronald Adrian Powles FILE NUMBER(S) : of 1995 CORAM: Mr G Molloy (Chairperson) - Mr R. Fox - Mr N. Reidy Professional Misconduct - breach of s. 61 of the Legal Profession Act - Professional Misconduct - fail to act honestly - Professional Misconduct - misappropriate trust moneys/moneys :- Wilful breaches of Section 41 and 42 of the Legal Practitioners Act CATCHWORDS: 1898 and Sections 61 & 62 of the Legal Profession Act 1987 Legal Profession Reform Act 1993 LEGISLATION CITED: Legal Practitioners' Act 1898 Legal Profession Act 1987 CASES CITED: In the matter of M.G. Roper (No. 1) (No. 7 of 1994 - Judgment delivered 16 May 1995 DATES OF HEARING: Friday 1 March 1996 EX TEMPORE 03/01/1996 JUDGMENT DATE : For the Law Society: Mr Wales (instructed by Mr G. Still) LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES: For the Solicitor: Mr P. Baird (Messrs Baird & Associates)

JUDGMENT: Wilful breaches of Section 41 and 42 of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1898 and Sections 61 & 62 of the Legal Profession Act, 1987. The Solicitor, by Reply filed 28 February 1996, admitted the matters contained in the Complaint. Tribunal considered its requirement to be independently satisfied that the evidence supported the allegations. The Solicitor found guilty of misappropriation of client funds. The Tribunal ordered the Solicitor's name to be removed from the Roll.

CHAIRMAN: (Ex-tempore judgment) The Law Society by a Complaint filed in this Tribunal 8 April 1994 has alleged that the solicitor has breached a number of sections of the various Acts of Parliament which have governed members of the legal profession over the periods of the events in question.