You can search by selecting a jurisdiction, a keyword (for example a name) or browse by year.
Some jurisdictions only publish a selection of decisions. Identifying details may be removed.

Helpful search tips:

  • If you are looking for a specific decision with a forward slash in the title (eg, 123/2014), you will need to replace the forward slash with a space (eg, 123 2014), as the website cannot pick up on forward slashes (/) or any other characters.
  • If you are doing a keyword search (eg. misconduct), please note that this search will only produce decisions where the keyword appears in the title or decision description. If you want to search the entire decision document for certain keywords, you will need to use full website search located in the top right hand corner of this page.
  • If you want to search for a decision from a particular jurisdiction using the full website search, put both the jurisdiction name and the keyword in the search field (eg, LCRO misconduct).
Search results

1326 items matching your search terms

  1. LCRO 82/2018 ZI v WS (30 May 2019) [PDF, 242 KB]

    Review / Committee found unsatisfactory conduct / relationship property dispute / notice of claim lapsed / review seeks compensation / lawyer failed to keep client informed / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006, section 107(1) / section 156(1)(d) / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Complaints Service and Standards Committees) Regulations 2008, regulation 32 / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 3 / rule 6 / rule 10 / former lawyers / proper standards of professionalism / whether losses flowed from lawyer’s conduct / HELD / conduct rules binding on former lawyers / lawyer failed to make attempt to contact client / some duties continue after retainer terminated / client’s losses do not flow from lawyer’s failure / Committee’s decision modified / section 211(1)(a)
  3. LCRO 186/2017 and 84/2018 WE v VF (28 May 2019) [PDF, 190 KB]

    Review / Committee found unsatisfactory conduct / private criminal prosecution / lawyer had previously acted for respondent / complaint lawyer had a conflict of interest / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 8.7 / rule 8.7.1 / duty to protect confidential information / HELD / lawyer did not remember respondent / lawyer withdrew from acting when made aware of the conflict of interest / Committee’s decision reversed / section 211(1)(a)
  5. LCRO 68/2016 ZA v YB (23 May 2019) [PDF, 202 KB]

    Complaint / Committee declined to take further action on complaint / preparation of will / administration of estate / complaint lawyer failed to act competently / provide information on services / treat applicant with respect and courtesy / keep applicant informed / fee complaint / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Complaints Service and Standards Committees) Regulations 2008, regulation 29 / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 3.4 / rule 3.5 / rule 7 / fees issued two years prior to complaint / HELD / Committee directed to reconsider competence and fee complaints / section 209(1)(a) / lawyer did not keep client’s informed / unsatisfactory conduct / no evidence to support other complaints / Committee’s decision modified / section 211(1)(a)
  6. LCRO 160/2016 ET v NE (23 May 2019) [PDF, 203 KB]

    Complaint / Committee declined to take further action on complaint / criminal conviction appeal / respondent is a barrister sole / payment of retainer / complaint respondent had failed to act competently / fee complaint / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 3 / rule 9 / rule 9.1 / rule 9.4 / rule 14.4 / whether lawyer provided fees estimate / intervention rule / duty to keep instructing lawyer informed of progress / HELD / no fee estimate provided / fees fair and reasonable / respondent’s advice competent / no evidence to support other complaints / Committee’s decision confirmed / section 211(1)(a)
  7. LCRO 98/2018 and 201/2018 HK v CN (22 May 2019) [PDF, 238 KB]

    Review / Committee found unsatisfactory conduct / property sale and purchase / agreement cancelled / law clerk acted on transaction / complaint lawyer wrongly declared agreement unconditional / failed to properly advise client / failed to keep client informed / failed to supervise employee / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 3 / rule 11.3 / Canterbury Westland Standards Committee v Simes [2012] NZLCDT 4 / DV v LS and HS LCRO 91/2017 (19 December 2018) / HELD / lawyer failed to properly advise client on agreements / failed to supervise law clerk / Committee’s decision otherwise confirmed / section 211(1)(a)
  9. LCRO 114/2018 CL v [City] Standards Committee [X] (17 May 2019) [PDF, 160 KB]

    Review / Committee found unsatisfactory conduct / own motion investigation / management of trust account / providing false certificates to Law Society / misleading and deceptive conduct / failure to disclose how fees charged / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 2.5 / rule 3.4 / rule 11.1 / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Trust Account) Regulations 2008, regulation 6(3) / regulation 11(2) / regulation 11(3) / regulation 11(4) / regulation 16(4) / regulation 17(1) / whether Committee should make adverse comments about consultant / HELD / comments about consultant unwarranted / Committee’s decision modified / breach of trust account regulations unacceptable / lawyer failed to disclose how fees were charged / Committee’s decision otherwise confirmed / section 211(1)(a)
  10. LCRO 172/2015 and 173/2015 WL v XC and HF v XC (16 May 2019) [PDF, 269 KB]

    Complaint / Committee declined to take further action on complaint / relationship property dispute / complaint lawyer made unfounded allegations in litigation / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 5.3 / rule 13.8 / Rondel v Worsley [1969] 1 AC 191 (HL) / Medcalf v Mardell [2003] 1 AC 120 (HL) / whether there was good cause to make allegations / HELD / lawyer did not have good cause to make allegations / Committee’s decision reversed / section 211(1)(a)
  11. LCRO 167/2016 LQ v TM (13 May 2019) [PDF, 181 KB]

    Complaint / Committee declined to take further action on complaint / dispute over estate management / complaint lawyer failed to supply information / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 12 / GH v UF LCRO 22/2011 (9 November 2011) / RQ and RR v MZ LCRO 127/2011 (2 October 2012) / third party duties / HELD / applicant not lawyer’s client / lawyer had responded to applicant / no professional standards issues arise / Committee’s decision confirmed / section 211(1)(a)
  16. LCRO 229/2017 and 021/2018 VL v YN (8 May 2019) [PDF, 257 KB]

    Review / Committee found unsatisfactory conduct / property purchase / vendor’s escape clause / agreement cancelled / failure to act competently / failure to act in a timely manner failure to advise client / failure to assist client’s in finding new representation / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 3 / rule 4.2.4 / rule 5.4 / rule 6 / Sandy v Khan LCRO 181/2009 (25 December 2009) / compensation for anguish and anxiety / HELD / compensation for anguish and stress reduced / Committee’s decision otherwise confirmed / section 211(1)(a)
  17. LCRO 034/2017 TC v DM (30 April 2019) [PDF, 287 KB]

    Review / Committee found unsatisfactory conduct / property purchase / lawyer terminated retainer without good cause / acted unprofessionally / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 4.2 / rule 4.2.1 / whether Committee’s supervision order correct / whether Committee’s processes fair / HELD /no issues with Committee’s processes / lawyer did not have good cause to terminate retainer / lawyer otherwise acted competently / supervision order reversed / Committee’s decision otherwise confirmed / section 211(1)(a)
  18. LCRO 57/2018 G RC and D RC v YS (30 April 2019) [PDF, 335 KB]

    Complaint / Committee declined to take further action on complaint / lawyer acted for applicant’s mother / complaint client did not have capacity to instruct lawyer / lawyer refused to supply files / Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988 / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 4.4.1 / rule 8 / Scott v Wise [1986] 2 NZLR 484 (CA) / Re “Tony” (1990) 5 NZFLR 609 (FC) / Carrington v Carrington [2014] NZHC 869, [2014] NZFLR 571 / duty of confidence / HELD / Office cannot determine whether client had capacity / lawyer must hold client’s information in confidence / no jurisdiction to consider complaint / Committee’s decision confirmed / section 211(1)(a)
  19. LCRO 123/2018 RA v [Area] Standards Committee (24 April 2019) [PDF, 184 KB]

    Review / Committee found unsatisfactory conduct / own motion investigation / lawyer failed to produce records / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2007, section 147 / section 262 / whether lawyer required to retain documents / duty to cooperate with Committee / HELD / lawyer did not obstruct Committee’s investigation / lawyer no longer had access to some records / Committee directed to reconsider failure to retain records / Committee’s decision otherwise reversed / section 211(1)(a)
  20. LCRO 024/2018 NN v AE (23 April 2019) [PDF, 213 KB]

    Review / Committee found unsatisfactory conduct / sale of property / termination of retainer prior to settlement / complaint lawyer failed to cancel sale agreement / threatened to make a professional complaint / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 2.3 / rule 2.7 / rule 5.11 / rule 10 / Burgess v Tait [2014] NZHC 2408 / whether threat made for an improper purpose / duty to maintain proper standards of professionalism / HELD / threat made for improper purpose / breach of rule 2.3 / breach of rule 2.7 / conduct not deserving of a disciplinary sanction / Committee’s decision reversed / section 211(1)(a)
  21. LCRO 55/2018 ND v RS (18 April 2019) [PDF, 105 KB]

    Complaint / Committee declined to take further action on complaint / dispute with council / lawyer provided report to council / applicant not client of respondent / complaint that lawyer’s conduct was misleading and deceptive / disclosed privileged information / disclosed private information / HELD / lawyer’s duties owed to the council / applicant was represented by counsel / information disclosed by applicant not confidential / no professional standards issues arise / Committee’s decision confirmed / section 211(1)(a)
  25. LCRO 70/2018 AR v NM (10 April 2019) [PDF, 212 KB]

    Complaint / Committee declined to take further action on complaint/ relationship property dispute / notice of claim on property / complaint lawyer acted when client did not have capacity / failed to communicate / Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988 / Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008, rule 12 / Scott v Wise [1986] 2 NZLR 484 (CA) / Re “Tony” (1990) 5 NZFLR 609 (FC) / Carrington v Carrington [2014] NZHC 869, [2014] NZFLR 571 / whether enduring power of attorney revoked / presumption of competence / respect and courtesy / HELD / lawyer sought medical advice on client’s capacity / Office has no jurisdiction as to whether client had capacity / lawyer’s communications did not lack respect and courtesy / Committee’s decision confirmed / section 211(1)(a)