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This week, the Trump administration continued its revenge tour against BigLaw practices, and the Law Council pushed back against assertions of systemic, improper claims of client legal privilege. Here is your weekly round-up of the biggest stories for Australia’s legal profession.
For the week from 17 to 21 March, these were the 10 most-read stories on Lawyers Weekly (in case you missed them):
1. ‘Extremely serious’: ACT solicitor to be struck off for trust money offences
An ACT solicitor with over two decades of experience will be struck from the roll for a number of “extremely serious” trust account offences.
2. Client makes ‘extremely serious’ claim solicitor spoke to juror
As part of his attempts to avoid paying a law firm almost $30,000 in legal fees, a former client made an “extremely serious allegation” that a solicitor and a junior lawyer spoke directly to a juror.
3. Firm founder called out for ‘disrespectful’ language amid fight with former director
A law firm’s long and tortured history of litigation against its former director and shareholder ended with persistent and unethical communication to the court that was, “at its lowest, disrespectful”.
4. Identity allegation exposes HR manager with claim against major firm
Concerning information has exposed the alleged identity of a former HR manager who accused Slater & Gordon of withholding annual leave entitlements.
5. Half of law firms pay below-average salary to lowest earners
Despite BigLaw’s highest earners taking home a pay cheque that’s well above the national average, half of them pay their lowest earners less than many other industries.
6. Dyson Heydon’s book advertised by NSW Law Society
The Law Society of NSW advertised a new book published by Dyson Heydon, the former High Court justice who sexually harassed six judge’s associates.
7. Court tosses claim Law Society intends to ‘kill, suppress’ ACT solicitor
A former solicitor who has relentlessly pursued the ACT Law Society over dismissed racial discrimination allegations has attempted to air further sensational claims in an appeal, including an accusation there was a “clear intent to kill or suppress” him for life.
8. Solicitor hit with fresh charges of ‘offensive’ conduct
Further allegations of offensive and abusive conduct have been levelled against a solicitor who will soon face strike-off proceedings for calling another practitioner a “pathetic human”.
9. Trump targets 20 BigLaw firms over DEI, including Australia-based players
Not content with going after firms it deems to have acted against US interests, the Trump administration is now probing the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices of nearly two dozen BigLaw practices, including some with offices in Australia.
10. PwC case not evidence of systemic, improper privilege claims
“Excessive curtailment” of client legal privilege claims, including by way of expanded penalty powers for the Commonwealth, for supposed improper use or claiming of privilege, will have serious consequences, the Law Council has argued.
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