Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Hedges [2018] NSWCATOD 150

Civil and Administrative Tribunal New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Hedges [2018] NSWCATOD 150 Hearing dates: 12 July 2018 Date of orders: 03 September 2018 Decision date: 03 September 2018 Jurisdiction: Occupational Division Before: Hon G Mullane ADCJ – Principal Member N Matkovich – Senior Member E Hayes – General Member Decision: (1) The Respondent is guilty of professional misconduct; (2) The Respondent must pay a fine of $5,500; (3) The Respondent must pay the costs of the Applicant of or incidental to the proceedings as agreed or as assessed. Catchwords: Trades and Professions – Legal Profession – Discipline – Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct – Trust Money – Payment Delays – Failure to Communicate Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013; Legal Profession Act 2004 (Repealed); Legal Profession Uniform Law (2015); Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014(NSW); Cases Cited: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v Bouzanis) [2017] NSWCA 330; Council of the Law Society of NSW v Gallego [2017] NSWCATOD 29; Council of the Law Society v Gallego (No. 2) [2017] NSWCATOD 61; Law Society of New South Wales v Bouzanis [2017] NSWCATOD 84; Law Society of New South Wales v Jones [Unreported Court of Appeal] NSW 37 July 1978; Law Society of New South Wales v Leonard [2017] NSWCATOD 58; Law Society of NSW v Autore [2017] NSWCATOD 168; Law Society of NSW v Marando [2013] NSWADT 267 Law Society of NSW v Mattila [2017] NSWCATOD 166; Law Society v Beazley [2017] NSWCATOD 35; Law Society v Truong [2016] NSWCATOD 137; Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of NSW v McCaffery [2004] NSWCA 470; Re Mayes and the Legal Practitioners Act [1974] NSWLR 19; Re Mayes v Legal Practitioners Act, (1974) NSWLR 19; Re Robb & Anor (1996) 134 FLR 294; Russo v Legal Services Commission [2016] NSWCA 306; The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of NSW v Dimitrious [2015] NSWCA 258; Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: The Council of the Law Society of New South Wales (Applicant) Stephen Lewis Hedges (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P A Maddigan (Applicant) M T McCulloch SC (Respondent)