The following are recent decisions of the Council of the Law Society of NSW from 1 January 2026 – 31 March 2026
Decisions in relation to practising certificates
The following decisions are recorded in the Office of Legal Services Commissioner Disciplinary Register:
| Lawyer Name: | Edwards, Christopher Malcolm |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 18-Dec-1991 (NSW) 18-Dec-1991 (NSW) |
| Law Practice: | Christopher M Edwards |
| Business Address or Former Address: | “Park Mall”, Suite 9, 209-211 Windsor Street, Richmond NSW 2753 |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| Finding: | Not a fit and proper person to hold a practising certificate |
| By: | Council of the Law Society of New South Wales |
| Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Refusal to renew practising certificate application pursuant to s 45 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) for the period 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 |
| Manager Appointed: | Yes |
| Manager Appointed Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
| Lawyer Name: | D’Angelo, Angelo Ross |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 05-Jul-1985 (NSW) 05-Jul-1985 (NSW) |
| Business Address or Former Address: | Suite G04, 4-12 Garfield Street Five Dock NSW 2046 |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| Substance of Conduct Matter: | The solicitor failed to take appropriate steps to ensure the validity of Limited Power of Attorney before preparing and witnessing an Italian Power of Attorney document. |
| Finding: | Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct |
| By: | Council of the Law Society of New South Wales |
| Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Fine $1,500 ReprimandOrder for the solicitor to complete 5 CPD units in the area of wills and estates law for the 2026-27 CPD year; and Recommendation to impose a condition on the Solicitor’s practicing certificate that he not be permitted to engage in notary public work until he undertakes, completes and passes a Notarial Practice Course |
| Lawyer Name: | Kincaid, Hilary Helen |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 26-May-2006 (NSW) 26-May-2006 (NSW) |
| Law Practice: | Kincaid Legal |
| Business Address or Former Address: | Level 21, 133 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000 |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| By: | Council of the Law Society of New South Wales |
| Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Refusal to renew practising certificate
for the period 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, pursuant to s 45 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) |
| Lawyer Name: | Pham, Andy Vuong Duc |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 31-May-2002 (NSW) 31-May-2002 (NSW) |
| Law Practice: | Andy Pham Lawyers |
| Business Address or Former Address: | Suite 2, Level 1, 22 Smart Street, Fairfield NSW 2165 |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| By: | Council of the Law Society of New South Wales |
| Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Refusal to renew practising certificate
for the practising year ending 30 June 2026 |
| Manager Appointed: | Yes |
| Manager Appointed Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
| Lawyer Name: | Hassett, James Trevor |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 09-Nov-1979 |
| Law Practice: | Hassetts Solicitors |
| Business Address or Former Address: | Unit 29, 103 Majors Bay Road, Concord NSW 2137 |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| Substance of Conduct Matter: | In acting as Executor of a deceased’s estate, the lawyer acted unethically by entering into mortgage agreements which encumbered a property that was held on trust for beneficiaries of the estate |
| Finding: | Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct |
| By: | Council of the Law Society of New South Wales |
| Date: | 26-Feb-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Fine $10,000 Reprimand |
| Lawyer Name: | Wilson, Michael Earl |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 05-Aug-1988 (NSW) 05-Aug-1988 (NSW) |
| Law Practice: | Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd (as incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and based primarily in Kazakhstan) |
| Business Address or Former Address: | Nurly Tau Business Centre 7th Floor, Building 1A 5 Al-Farabi Avenue 050059 ALMATY KAZAKHSTAN |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| Substance of Conduct Matter: | Breaching the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules 2015 and acting contrary to the conditions attached to his practising certificate |
| Finding: | Not a fit and proper person to hold a practising certificate |
| By: | Council of the Law Society of New South Wales |
| Date: | 19-Feb-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Refusal to renew practising certificate
for the period 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, pursuant to s 45 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) |
| Lawyer Name: | Diaz Escobar, Barbara Andrea |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 22-Feb-2016 (NSW) 22-Feb-2016 (NSW) |
| Law Practice: | Somerville Laundry Lomax Solicitors |
| Business Address or Former Address: | 1 Carrington Street Lismore NSW 2480 |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| Substance of Conduct Matter: | Breach of a Lawyer’s Paramount Duty to the Court |
| Finding: | Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct |
| By: | Legal Services Commissioner (NSW) |
| Date: | 16-Feb-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Reprimand |
| Lawyer Name: | Kekatos, Jim |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 14-Dec-1994 (NSW) 14-Dec-1994 (NSW) |
| Law Practice: | Kekatos Lawyers Pty Ltd |
| Business Address or Former Address: | Level 7, 350 Kent Street Sydney NSW 2000 |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| Substance of Conduct Matter: | The solicitor failed to provide his clients with legal advice in relation to delays to the settlement of a property transaction, the receipt of a notice to complete, and the receipt of a notice of termination |
| Finding: | Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct |
| By: | Council of the Law Society of New South Wales |
| Date: | 05-Feb-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Reprimand Solicitor to undertake and complete further legal education |
Decisions to externally intervene in a Law Practice:
The Council of the Law Society of NSW appointed managers to the following practices:
| Lawyer Name: | Edwards, Christopher Malcolm |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 18-Dec-1991 (NSW) 18-Dec-1991 (NSW) |
| Law Practice: | Christopher M Edwards |
| Business Address or Former Address: | “Park Mall”, Suite 9, 209-211 Windsor Street, Richmond NSW 2753 |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| Finding: | Not a fit and proper person to hold a practising certificate |
| By: | Council of the Law Society of New South Wales |
| Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Refusal to renew practising certificate
application pursuant to s 45 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) for the period 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 |
| Manager Appointed: | Yes |
| Manager Appointed Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
| Lawyer Name: | Pham, Andy Vuong Duc |
| Lawyer Type: | Solicitor |
| Date/s of Admission/s: | 31-May-2002 (NSW) 31-May-2002 (NSW) |
| Law Practice: | Andy Pham Lawyers |
| Business Address or Former Address: | Suite 2, Level 1, 22 Smart Street, Fairfield NSW 2165 |
| Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: | New South Wales |
| By: | Council of the Law Society of New South Wales |
| Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
| Disciplinary Action: | Refusal to renew practising certificate
for the practising year ending 30 June 2026 |
| Manager Appointed: | Yes |
| Manager Appointed Date: | 19-Mar-2026 |
