Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Haseldine [2017] NSWCATOD 156

Civil and Administrative Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Haseldine [2017] NSWCATOD 156 Hearing dates: 20 April 2016 Date of orders: 31 October 2017 Decision date: 31 October 2017 Jurisdiction: Occupational Division Before: J Wakefield (Senior Member) M Riordan (Senior Member) E Hayes (General Member) Decision: 1. The solicitor is guilty of professional misconduct.

2. The matter is stood over for further hearing to a date to be fixed by arrangement with the Registry.

3. The solicitor is to file and serve any evidence and any submissions upon which he intends to rely limited to the nature of the orders which should follow our finding of professional misconduct within 21 days.

4. The applicant file and serve any evidence and submissions in reply within 21 days thereafter. Catchwords: PROFESSIONS AND TRADES – Solicitor – disciplinary proceedings - professional misconduct – executor's entitlement to commission – proper construction of commission clause - consent of beneficiaries – breach of fiduciary duty - breach of s 255 of the Legal Profession Act - misappropriation – s 497(1)(b) of the Legal Profession Act – conduct occurring otherwise than in connection with the practice of law – fit and proper person – professional misconduct at common law Legislation Cited: Legal Practitioner's Act 1898 (NSW) Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) Legal Profession Regulation 2005 (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW) Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW) Trustee Act 1925 (NSW) Trustee Companies Act 1964 (NSW) Cases Cited: Allinson v General Council of Medical Education and Registration [1894] 1 QB 740 Australian Annuities Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) (Receivers & Managers Appointed) v Rowley Super Fund Pty Ltd (2015) 318 ALR 302 Bechara v Legal Services Commissioner [2010] NSWCA 369 Bolster v Law Society of New South Wales Unreported, Court of Appeal, 20 September 1982 (BC8211696) Brereton v Legal Services Commission [2010] VSC 378 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Chick & Anor v Grosfeld (No 3) [2012] NSWSC 1536 Clyne v New South Wales Bar Association 104 CLR 186 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Coombes [2015] NSWCATAD 108 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Doherty [2010] NSWCA 177 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Gates [2016] NSWCATOD 35 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 [2010] NSWADT 2011 Council of the Queensland Law Society Inc. v Wakeling [2004] QCA 42 Crout v Beissel [1909] VLR 207 Dupal v Law Society of New South Wales [1990] NSWCA 56 Hawkins v Harkley-Brown & Anor [2010] NSWSC 48 In the Estate of Burdekin (1981) 1 SR (NSW) B&P 1 In the Estate of Josef Bernhard Nies (deceased) [2014] SASC 93 In the Will of Hutchings (1889) 15 VLR 419 In the Will of Kerrigan (1935) 35 SR (NSW) 242 In the Will of Shannon [1977] 1 NSWLR 210 In the Will of Sheppard [1972] 2 NSWLR 714 Kennedy v The Council of the Incorporated Law Institute of New South Wales (1939) 13 ALJ 563 Law Society of New South Wales v Carvan Unreported Court of Appeal, 14 May 1981 (BC8111397) Law Society of NSW v Jones, Unreported Court of Appeal, 29 July 1978 (NSW) Law Society of NSW v Shehadie [2016] NSWCATOD 46 Legal Services Commissioner v Brereton [2011] VSCA 241 Legal Services Commissioner v Rhoden [2016] VSC 67 Neat Holdings Pty Limited v Karajan Holdings Pty Limited (1992) 110 ALR 449 New South Wales Bar Association v Cummins (2001) 52 NSWLR 279 New South Wales Bar Association v Osei (No. 2) [2008] NSWADT 324 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 McCaffery [2004] NSWCA 470 R v Lawrence [1997] 1 VR 459 Re Croser (1973) 6 SASR 427 Re Estate Gowing; Application for Executor's Commission [2014] NSWSC 247 Re McCutcheon [1941] VLR 174 Solicitor v Council of the Law Society of New South Wales (2004) 78 ALJR 310 Spellson v George (1992) 26 NSWLR 666 Stewart v Layton (1992) 111 ALR 687 Stokes v Churchill; Estate of Fryer (1994) NSW ConvR 55 – 694 Surf Road Nominees Pty Ltd & Ors v Tass James & Ors [2004] NSWSC 61 The Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Nicholls [2012] NSWADT 222 The Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Costigan [2013] NSWCA 407 The Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Sahade [2007] NSWCA 145 The Law Society of New South Wales v McCarthy [2003] NSWADT 198 The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Leon Nikolaidis [2010] NSWCA 73 Walker & Ors v D'Alessandro [2010] VSC 15 Ziems v The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (1957) 97 CLR 279 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales (Applicant) Christopher John Haseldine (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: PA Maddigan (Applicant) CJ Haseldine (Respondent in person)