Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Coombes [2015] NSWCATOD 108

Civil and Administrative Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Coombes [2015] NSWCATOD 108 Hearing dates: 29 July 2015 Decision date: 08 October 2015 Jurisdiction: Occupational Division Before: D Fairlie Senior Member R Dawson General Member M Bolt General member Decision: 1. That the Respondent is guilty of professional misconduct 2. That the Respondent is reprimanded 3. That the Respondent pay the Applicant's costs to be assessed if not agreed Catchwords: Solicitor – breaches of sections 263 and 264 of the Legal Profession Act 2004 – whether conduct amounts to misappropriation of trust monies. Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 Legal Profession Act 2004 Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) Legal Profession Regulation 2005 Securities Industry Act 1975 Cases Cited: Brereton v Legal Services Commissioner [2010] VSC 378 Council of the Law Society of NSW v Clapin [2011] NSWADT 83 Council of the Law Society of NSW v Nicholls [2012]NSWADT 222 Council of the Law Society of NSW v Pizzinga [2012] NSWADT 211 Council of the Law Society of NSW v Simpson [2011] NSWADT 242 Daly v Sydney Stock Exchange Limited [1986] HCA 25 Kumar v Legal Services Commissioner [2015] NSWCA 325 Legal Services Commissioner v Kumar [2013]NSWADT 34 and [2014] NSWCATOD 45 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales (Applicant) Gregory Hunter Coombes (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Ms M Castle (Respondent)