THE COUNCIL OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES BAR ASSOCIATION v SAHADE [2007] NSWCA 145

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: THE COUNCIL OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES BAR ASSOCIATION v SAHADE [2007] NSWCA 145

HEARING DATE(S): 7 May 2007

JUDGMENT DATE: 19 June 2007

JUDGMENT OF: Mason P at 1; Santow JA at 2; Basten JA at 3

DECISION: (1) Appeal dismissed; (2) Appellant to pay the Respondent's costs of the appeal; (3) Cross-appeal dismissed, with no order as to the costs of the cross-appeal.

CATCHWORDS: LEGAL PRACTITIONERS – professional misconduct – whether barrister a fit and proper person to remain on the roll – evidence of change in character subsequent to the misconduct – whether fitness to remain on the roll is to be assessed at the time of the misconduct or at the time of hearing – s 127 Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW)

Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), s 29B Legal Practitioners Act 1898 (NSW), s 9 Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW), ss 59D, 127, 131, 138, 147A, 148, 167, 171C, 171F LEGISLATION CITED: Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW), ss 562, 729A, Sch 9 cl 15 Legal Profession Amendment (Disciplinary Provisions) Act 2001 (NSW), s 59D Legal Profession Reform Act (1993) (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A

Allinson v General Council of Medical Education and Registration [1894] 1 QB 750 A Solicitor v Council of the Law Society of NSW (2003-2004) 216 CLR 253 Incorporated Law Institute of New South Wales v Meagher (1909) 9 CLR 655 In Re Davis (1947) 75 CLR 409 CASES CITED: Kennedy v The Council of the Incorporated Law Institute of New South Wales (1939) 13 ALJ 563 Konigsberg v State Bar 353 US 252 NSW Bar Association v Meakes [2006] NSWCA 340 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court (NSW) v Costello [1984] 3 NSWLR 201 Smith v NSW Bar Association (1992) 176 CLR 256 Ziems v Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (1957) 97 CLR 279