Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Wehbe [2018] NSWCATOD 14

Civil and Administrative Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Wehbe [2018] NSWCATOD 14 Hearing dates: 7, 8 March 2016 Date of orders: 13 February 2018 Decision date: 13 February 2018 Jurisdiction: Occupational Division Before: J Wakefield, Senior Member M Riordan, Senior Member Professor R Fitzgerald, General Member (Hearing) E Hayes, General Member Decision: (1) The name of Robert Joseph Wehbe be removed from the Roll of local Lawyers. (2) Robert Joseph Wehbe pay the costs of the Applicant as agreed or accessed. Catchwords: PROFESSIONS AND TRADES – Solicitor – officer of incorporated legal practice - disciplinary proceedings – professional misconduct – failure to ensure incorporated legal practice paid GST, PAYG and employees' superannuation contributions – whether failure to maintain appropriate management systems – whether breach of fiduciary duty to avoid conflict of interest – appropriate orders –fit and proper person – no evidence from solicitor – removal from roll – "professional obligations" – Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW), ss 140(1), 143 Legislation Cited: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Law 2014 (NSW) No 16A Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW) Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cth) Cases Cited: A Solicitor v Council of the Law Society of NSW (2004) 216 CLR 253 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (2009) 239 CLR 27 Allinson v General Council of Medical Education and Registration [1894] 1 QB 740 Bechara v Legal Services Commissioner [2010] NSWCA 369 Bolster v Law Society of New South Wales Unreported, Court of Appeal, 20c September 1982 (BC8211696) Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Adams [2011] NSWADT 177 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Clapin [2011] NSWADT 83 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Dalla [2011] NSWADT 130 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v McHugh [2014] NSWCATOD 37 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Nicopoulos [2011] NSWADT 84 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Somerfield [2008] NSWADT 235 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Truong (No 2) [2015] NSWCATOD 79 Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Webb (No 2) [2012] NSWADT 233 Council of the Law Society of NSW v Andreone (No 1) [2014] NSWCATOD 49 Council of the Law Society of NSW v Dona [2014] NSWCATOD 27 Council of the Law Society of NSW v Healey [2013] NSWADT 173 Council of the Law Society of NSW v Kingston [2014] NSWCATOD 21 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v BRJ (No. 2) [2015] NSWCATOD 140 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Miller (No 2) [2012] NSWADT 129 Council of the New South Wales Bar Association v Sahade [2007] NSWCA 145 Dona v Council of the Law Society of NSW [2014] NSWCA 444 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Haxton (2012) 246 CLR 498 Gnych v Polish Club (2015) 255 CLR 414 Kennedy v The Council of the Incorporated Law Institute of New South Wales (1939) 13 ALJ 563 Law of Society of NSW v Gillroy [2010] NSWADT 232 Law Society NSW v Moulton [1981] 2 NSWLR 736 Law Society of New South Wales v Bouzanis [2006] NSWADT 55 Law Society of New South Wales v Carvan Unreported Court of Appeal, 14 May 1981 (BC8111397) Law Society of New South Wales v Delpopolo [2014] NSWCATOD 55 Law Society of New South Wales v Foreman (1994) 34 NSWLR 408 Law Society of New South Wales v Vosnakis [2007] NSWADT 42 Law Society of NSW v Koffel [2010] NSWADT 149 McBride v Walton [1994] NSWCA 199 Miller v Miller (2011) 242 CLR 446 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) ALR 449 New South Wales Bar Association v Cummins [2001] NSWCA 284 New South Wales Bar Association v Evatt (1968) 117 CLR 177 NSW Bar Association v Meakes [2006] NSWCA 340 NSW Bar Association v Murphy [2002] NSWCA 138 O'Reilly v Law Society (1988) 24 NSWLR 204 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 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 Leon Nikolaidis [2010] NSWCA 73 Roy Morgan Research Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (2011) 244 CLR 97 Xu v Council of the Law Society of NSW [2009] NSWCA 430 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) Robert Joseph Wehbe (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S Barnes (Applicant) VRW Gray (Respondent)