Below are recent decisions made by the Council of the Law Society of NSW
Decisions in relation to practising certificates
The following decisions, which are recorded in the Office of Legal Services Commissioner Disciplinary Register, were made by the Council up to and including 3 April 2023:
Lawyer Name: Primerano (aka Mitris), Sandra
Lawyer Type: Solicitor
Date/s of Admission/s: 05-Jul-2013
Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: New South Wales
Substance of Conduct Matter: Solicitor has been charged with a number of serious offences
By: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales
Date: 19-Jan-2023
Disciplinary Action: Suspension of Practising Certificate pursuant to ss 82(2) and 84 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) until the earliest of the following events occurs (in accordance with s82(3) of the Uniform Law):
- the Council revokes its decision;
- if the Solicitor is convicted of the offence – 28 days after the day of conviction;
- iii. If the charge(s) are dismissed – the day of the dismissal.
Lawyer Name: Payne, Peter Desmond
Lawyer Type: Solicitor
Date/s of Admission/s: 15-Feb-2013
Law Practice: Peter Payne Law Pty Ltd
Business Address or Former Address: 16 Barton Street, Cobar NSW 2835
Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: New South Wales
Substance of Conduct Matter: Solicitor has been charged with a serious offence.
By: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales
Date: 1 February 2023
Disciplinary Action: Appointment of a Manager following Suspension of Practising Certificate until the earliest of the following events occurs (in accordance with s82(3) of the Uniform Law):
i. the Council revokes its decision
ii. if the Solicitor is convicted of the offence – 28 days after the day of conviction
iii. If the charge(s) are dismissed – the day of the dismissal
Specified Duration: Manager appointed for a period of two years with such period commencing from the date of the Law Society Council’s decision
Manager Appointed: Yes
Manager Appointed Date: 01-Feb-2023
Lawyer Name: Various (6 solicitors)
Lawyer Type: Solicitor
Substance of Conduct Matter: Failure to take out required professional indemnity insurance.
By: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales
Date: 9 February 2023
Disciplinary Action: Refusal of practising certificate renewal application. All practitioners have subsequently taken out the required indemnity insurance and issued with new practising certificates.
Lawyer Name: Lee, Ricky Jose
Lawyer Type: Solicitor
Date/s of Admission/s: 20-Apr-2001
Law Practice: Globalex Tax & Legal Pty Ltd
Business Address or Former Address: Level 34, 50 Bridge Street, SYDNEY NSW 2000
Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: New South Wales
Substance of Conduct Matter: Not a fit and proper person to hold a practising certificate. Solicitor has demonstrated that he is currently unable to carry out satisfactorily the inherent requirements of practice as an Australian legal practitioner as he has:
- Failed to obey the law and failed to perform the day-to-day tasks associated with providing legal services, by failing to have the trust records of the Law Practice externally examined’ by a suitably qualified person for 2020/2021 and 2021/2022;
- Failed to perform the day-to-day tasks associated with providing legal services, by failing to respond to correspondence from the Director in relation to the failure to have the trust records of the Law Practice externally examined for 2020/2021 and 2021/22.
By: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales
Date: 09-Feb-2023
Disciplinary Action: Refusal to renew practising certificate for the year ended 30 June 2023
Manager Appointed: Yes
Manager Appointed Date: 09-Feb-2023
Lawyer Name: Tran (aka Anthony Tran), Dam Viet Quoc
Lawyer Type: Solicitor
Date/s of Admission/s: 17-Dec-1999
Law Practice: (former practice) Gibson Tran Lawyers
Business Address or Former Address: (former practice address) Unit 16-17, 73-79 John Street, Cabramatta NSW 2166
Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: New South Wales
Substance of Conduct Matter: Practising certificate suspended on 21 May 2020 with regard to the serious trust account irregularities detailed in the trust report dated 27 March 2020.
Practising certificate application refused by the Council of the Law Society of New South Wales on 20 October 2022.
The applicant made a further application for a practising certificate which was refused.
Finding: Not a fit and proper person to hold a practising certificate
By: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales
Date: 02-Mar-2023
Disciplinary Action: Refusal of grant of practising certificate for the year ending 30 June 2023
Lawyer Name: Liu, Chang Hong
Lawyer Type: Solicitor
Date/s of Admission/s: 20-Feb-2012
Law Practice: Cathay Lawyers
Business Address or Former Address: 493 Hume Highway, Yagoona NSW 2199
Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: New South Wales
Substance of Conduct Matter: Solicitor has been charged with a number of serious offences
By: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales
Date: 03-Apr-2023
Disciplinary Action: Suspension of Practising Certificate pursuant to s82(2) of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW). The suspension will operate until the earliest of the following event occurs (in accordance with s82(3) of the Uniform Law):
- Council revokes it;
- if the solicitor is convicted of the offence – 28 days after the day of conviction;
- if the charge is dismissed – the day of dismissal.
Lawyer Name: Hughes, Owen Maldwyn
Lawyer Type: Solicitor
Date/s of Admission/s: 14-Feb-1986
Law Practice: (Former practice) Beesley Hughes (Manager appointed)
Business Address or Former Address: (Former address) 6 Byron Street, Bangalow NSW 2479
Place of Issue of Practising Certificate: New South Wales
Substance of Conduct Matter: Findings made by the Federal Circuit Court of Australia in May 2019 and the Federal Court of Australia in July 2020 that Mr Hughes’ conduct towards his former employee amounted to sexual harassment, the findings, declaration and reprimand of the NSW Legal Services Commissioner dated 24 November 2021, breach of an undertaking, non compliance with Management System Direction, declarations made in practising certificate renewal applications, the appointment of a manager to the practice and the declaration of bankruptcy in November 2020.
Finding: Not a fit and proper person to hold a practising certificate
By: Council of the Law Society of New South Wales
Date: 03-Apr-2023
Disciplinary Action: Refusal of grant of practising certificate
