Hilton v Legal Profession Admission Board [2016] NSWSC 1617

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Hilton v Legal Profession Admission Board [2016] NSWSC 1617 Hearing dates: 24 October 2016 Date of orders: 17 November 2016 Decision date: 17 November 2016 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Beech-Jones J Decision: (1) The Summons filed 12 May 2016 be dismissed. (2) The proceedings stand over to 9.30am on 29 November 2016 for mention. Catchwords: LEGAL PRACTITIONER – appeal from decision of Legal Profession Admissions Board to refuse applicant a "compliance certificate" – applicant admitted as solicitor in 1966 – convicted of conspiracy to bribe Minister for Corrective Services – removed from roll of solicitors in 1988 – whether fit and proper person – good fame and character – contrition – reason for offending – testimonial evidence – onus of establishing fit and proper person not discharged – appeal dismissed. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005 (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Admission Rules 2015 (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Law Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 Special Commissions of Inquiry Act 1983 (NSW) Cases Cited: Camille Eduoard Dezarnaulds and Stephen Wawn v The Law Society of New South Wales unreported, 27 June 1995 Childs v Walton [1990] NSWCA 41 Clearihan v Registrar of Motor Vehicle Dealers (1994) 117 FLR 455 Clyne v New South Wales Bar Association (1960) 104 CLR 186 Dawson v Law Society of New South Wales [1989] NSWCA 58 Dona v Council of the Law Society of NSW [2014] NSWCA 444 Double Bay Law Pty Ltd t/a & Legal v Council of the Law Society of NSW [2013] NSWADT 182 Ex parte Dennis; Re the Legal Practitioners' Act, Court of Appeal (NSW), 23 December 1988, unreported Ex parte Tziniolis; Re The Medical Practitioners Act (1966) 67 SR (NSW) 448 Gregory v QLS Inc [2001] QCA 499 Jackson v LPAB [2006] NSWSC 1338 Jackson v Slattery; Hilton v Slattery (1984) 1 NSWLR 599 Janus v Queensland Law Society Incorporated [2001] QCA 180 Kotowicz v Law Society of New South Wales Court of Appeal, 7 August 1987, unreported Law Society of New South Wales v Foreman (1994) 34 NSWLR 408 McBride v Walton [1994] NSWCA 199 New South Wales Bar Association v Cummins [2001] NSWCA 284; 52 NSWLR 279 New South Wales Bar Association v Evatt (1968) 117 CLR 177 New South Wales Bar Association v Hamman [1999] NSWCA 404 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Christopher Ronald Fitzsimons [2012] NSWSC 260 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Da Rocha [2013] NSWCA 151 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Livanes [2012] NSWCA 325 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of NSW v P [2003] NSWCA 320 R v George & Ors, BC 8701346, unreported, 19 June 1987 R v Harris & Ors, unreported, 10 November 1986 R v Jackson & Anor, unreported, 2 September 1987 Re Davis (1947) 75 CLR 409 Saunders v Legal Profession Admission Board [2015] NSWSC 1839 The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Hilton, unreported, 27 June 1988 Ziems v The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales [1957] HCA 46; 97 CLR 279 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Howard Hilton (Plaintiff) Legal Profession Admission Board (Defendant) Law Society of New South Wales (Intervener) Representation: Counsel: DMJ Bennett QC; M Gaven (Plaintiff) CRC Newlinds SC; G Johnson (Law Society of NSW)