NEW SOUTH WALES BAR ASSOCIATION v CUMMINS [2001] NSWCA 284

Reported Decision : 52 NSWLR 279

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : NEW SOUTH WALES BAR ASSOCIATION v CUMMINS [2001] NSWCA 284 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40496/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 23/07/01 27/07/01 JUDGMENT DATE : 31 August 2001

PARTIES : The New South Wales Bar Association (Claimant) John Daniel Cummins (Opponent) JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Mason P at 72; Handley JA at 73

P Garling SC / M McCulloch (Claimant) COUNSEL : D F Jackson QC / P R Whitford (Opponent) J Basten QC / J A Needham (Legal Services Commissioner) SOLICITORS : Hicksons Wisewoulds (Claimant) Glasheen & Quilty (Opponent) CATCHWORDS : LEGAL PRACTITIONERS - Professional discipline - where barrister consented to removal of his name from the Roll of Legal Practitioners - where barrister did not file taxation returns for professional practice or personal income - whether declaration as to whether fit and proper person for legal practice should be made - whether declaration of professional misconduct should be made Legal Profession Act LEGISLATION CITED : Legal Professional Amendment (Disciplinary Provisions) Act 2001 Medical Act (21 and 22 Vict. c. 90) (U.K.) Solicitors Act 1888 (U.K.) Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1991-1992) 175 CLR 564 Chamberlain v Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 28 FCR 21 Chamberlain v Deputy Commisioner of Taxation (1988) 164 CLR 502 Chamberlain v The Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory (1992) 43 FCR 148 Dodson v Grew (1767) 97 ER 106 Ex parte Attorney-General (Cth); Re A Barrister and Solicitor (1972) 20 FLR 234 Ex parte Meehan; Re Medical Practitioners Act [1965] NSWR 30 Fell v Fell (1922) 31 CLR 268 Hoile v The Medical Board of South Australia (1960) 104 CLR 157 House of Peace Pty Ltd v Bankstown City Council (2000) 48 NSWLR 498 In re A Solicitor. Ex parte The Prothonotary (1964) 80 WN (NSW) 968 In re Thom; Ex parte The Prothonotary (1964) 80 WN (NSW) 968 In the Matter of the Legal Practitioners Act 1970 re Grosse (ACTSC, 22 February 1996, unreported) Kennedy v Council of the Incorporated Law Institute of New South Wales (1940) 13 ALJ 563 CASES CITED: Marten v Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' Disciplinary Committee [1966] 1 QB 1 Myers v Elman [1940] 282 New South Wales Bar Association v Hamman [1999] NSWCA 404 New South Wales Bar Association v Maddocks (NSWCA, 23 August 1988, unreported) Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Costello [1984] 3 NSWLR 201 Queensland Law Society Incorporated v Smith [2001] 1 Qd R 649 Re an Application by a Solicitor [1966] 1 NSWR 42 Re Hodgekiss [1962] SR (NSW) 340 Re Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory and Chamberlain (1993) 116 ACTR 1 Re Mayes and the Legal Practitioners Act [1974] 1 NSWLR 19 Re Wheeler [1991] 2 Qd R 690 Repatriation Commission v Vietnam Veterans' Association of Australia NSW Branch Inc (2000) 48 NSWLR 548 Provincial Insurance Australia Pty Ltd v Consolidated Wood Products Pty Ltd (1991) 25 NSWLR 541 The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Ritchard (NSWCA, 31 July 1987, unreported) Tobacco Institute of Australia Limited v Australian Federation of Consumer Organisations Inc (No 2) (1993) 41 FCR 89 Ziems v The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (1957) 97 CLR 279 DECISION : 1 Declare guilt of professional misconduct; 2 Declare not a fit and proper person to be on the Roll; 3 Opponent to pay costs of Bar Association