Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Thomson [2018] NSWCA 230

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Thomson [2018] NSWCA 230 Hearing dates: 10 October 2018 Decision date: 17 October 2018 Before: Basten JA; Meagher JA; Simpson AJA Decision: 1. Declare that Craig Robert Thomson is not a person of good fame and character. 2. Declare that Craig Robert Thomson is not a fit and proper person to remain on the roll of Australian lawyers maintained by the Supreme Court of New South Wales. 3. Order that the name of Craig Robert Thomson be removed from the roll of Australian lawyers maintained by the Supreme Court of New South Wales. 4. Order that Craig Robert Thomson pay the Prothonotary's costs of the proceedings. Catchwords: LEGAL PRACTITIONERS – inherent jurisdiction and disciplinary powers – practitioner misappropriated funds belonging to a union and dishonestly abused a fiduciary or a quasi-fiduciary position in that union over an extended period – practitioner convicted of stealing cash and found to have contravened civil penalty provisions of the Workplace Relations Act 1998 (Cth) – whether practitioner fit and proper to remain on the roll Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 191 Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW), ss 23, 264, 297 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 48 Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW), Pt 65A, r 2 Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth), ss 285, 286, 287 Cases Cited: A Solicitor v Council of the Law Society of New South Wales (2004) 216 CLR 253; [2004] HCA 1 Bridges v Law Society (NSW) [1983] 2 NSWLR 361 Council of New South Wales Bar Association v Power (2008) 71 NSWLR 451 DPP v Thomson (County Court of Victoria, Douglas J, 15 December 2014) DPP v Thomson (County Court of Victoria, Douglas J, 17 December 2014) General Manager of the Fair Work Commission v Thomson (No 3) [2015] FCA 1001 General Manager of the Fair Work Commission v Thomson (No 4) [2015] FCA 1433 New South Wales Bar Association v Cummins (2001) 52 NSWLR 279; [2001] NSWCA 284 New South Wales Bar Association v Cummins (2001) 52 NSWLR 279; [2001] NSWCA 284 New South Wales Bar Association v Hamman [1999] NSWCA 404; (1999) 217 ALR 553 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Livanes [2012] NSWCA 325 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Montenegro [2015] NSWCA 409 Prothonotary v Comeskey [2018] NSWCA 18 Re Davis (1947) 75 CLR 409 Re Hampton [2002] QCA 129 Re Veron; Ex parte Law Society of New South Wales (1966) 84 WN (Pt 1) NSW 136 Thomas v Legal Practitioners Admissions Board (2005) 1 Qd R 331; [2004] QCA 407 Wentworth v New South Wales Bar Association (1992) 176 CLR 239 Ziems v The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (1957) 97 CLR 279 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (Applicant) Craig Robert Thomson (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: P Griffin SC, H Bennett (Applicant)