Kawicki v The Legal Services Commissioner & Anor [2003] NSWCA 333

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Kawicki v The Legal Services Commissioner & Anor [2003] NSWCA 333 HEARING DATE(S) : 17 October 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 14 November 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Tobias JA at 2; Foster AJA at 62 DECISION : 1. Appeal to be dismissed; 2. The appellant to pay Mr Cowdery's costs of the appeal and the first respondent's costs on a submitting appearance basis

CATCHWORDS : PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY - whether Director of Public Prosecutions guilty of professional misconduct or unsatisfactory professional misconduct due to alleged 'misrepresentation' - whether advice given by Director of Public Prosecutions was misleading - whether decision by Legal Services Commissioner based on subject advice 'infected' by reviewable error - D LEGISLATION CITED : Legal Professional Act 1987, s155, s 127(2) Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1986 R v Kawicki (1995) 82 A Crim R 191 Nye v State of New South Wales (2002) NSWSC 1267 CASES CITED : Associated Provincial Picture Houses Pty Limited v Wednesbury Corporation [1948] 1KB 223 Buck v Bavone (1976) 135 CLR 110 Vanmeld Pty Limited v Fairfield City Council (1999) 46 NSWLR 78 A: Ted Kawicki PARTIES : 1R: The Legal Services Commissioner 2R: Nicholas Cowdery FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41164/02 A: T Molomby / R Rasmussen COUNSEL : 1R: N Perram 2R: R Cogswell SC A: Carneys Lawyers SOLICITORS : 1R: Office of the Legal Service Commissioner 2R: I.V. Knight, Crown Solicitors Office