BRJ v Council of the New South Wales Bar Association [2016] NSWSC 146

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: BRJ v Council of the New South Wales Bar Association [2016] NSWSC 146 Hearing dates: 24 February 2016 Decision date: 29 February 2016 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Adamson J Decision: (1) Dismiss the summons. (2) Subject to an application for a different order being made to my Associate in writing within seven days hereof, order the plaintiff to pay the first defendant's costs of the proceedings. Catchwords: LEGAL PRACTITIONERS – unsatisfactory professional conduct – no disciplinary action taken - whether Tribunal erred in finding unsatisfactory professional conduct where conduct arose out of psychiatric disorder – mental element did not alter characterisation of unsatisfactory professional conduct – no error in Tribunal's approach Legislation Cited: Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997 (NSW) Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW) Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), s64, Sch 1, cll 2, 6, 7, 21, Sch 5, cll 4, 29 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s33 Legal Practitioners Act 1981 (SA), s5 Legal Profession Act 1898 (NSW), ss 75, 76, 77, 79 Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW), s127 Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW), ss 171M, 255, 494, 496, 497, 498, 503(1), 525(1), 537(1)(a), 551, 553, 562, 564, 576, 577, 581, 702(1), 729A Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW), s167 Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW), NSW Barristers Rules, rr 16, 95 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s75A Cases Cited: Allinson v General Council of Medical Education and Registration [1892] 1 QB 750 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Fitzgibbon [2012] NSWADT 56 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Ghabrial [2010] NSWADT 306 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Kay [2009] NSWADT 139 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Power [2008] NSWCA 135; 71 NSWLR 451 Legal Practitioners Conduct Board v Ardalich [2005] SASC 478 New South Wales Bar Association v Cummins [2001] NSWCA 284; 52 NSWLR 279 NSW Bar Association v Butland [2008] NSWADT 120 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court (NSW) v McCaffery [2004] NSWCA 470 Robinson v The Law Society of New South Wales (Supreme Court of New South Wales, Court of Appeal, unreported, 17 June 1977) Wentworth v New South Wales Bar Association (1992) 176 CLR 239 Category: Principal judgment Parties: BRJ (Plaintiff) Council of the New South Wales Bar Association (First Defendant) New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff in person KJ Williams (First Defendant)