RONALD WILLIAM BOWER

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

In [2017] WASAT 47 the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia found Ronald William Bower, principal of Corser & Corser, guilty of professional misconduct arising from his handling of two District Court matters (the Pal and Settlers House files). The Tribunal made express findings of dishonesty: he knowingly caused/swore false and misleading affidavits intending to mislead the District Court, and sent/permitted false and misleading emails to his client Mr Pal to conceal his firm's delays. He also failed to progress the proceedings without undue delay, failed to keep his client informed, and improperly charged the client for reactivation work caused by the firm's own default. In the penalty decision [2017] WASAT 47 (S), the Tribunal held Bower was not a fit and proper person and was permanently unfit to practise, resolving to transmit a report to the Supreme Court (Full Bench) recommending removal from the Roll, suspending his practising certificate pending that determination, and ordering him to pay the Committee's costs of $46,325.10.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead the court
• Avoid wasting the court's time
• Keep client informed and respond promptly
• Handle inadvertently received material
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct not isolated - calculated course of conduct extending over a year across two matters
• Conduct engaged in for reasons of self-interest to conceal the firm's own defaults
• Deception continued in dealings with the Committee and in evidence before the Tribunal
• Caused an employed solicitor (Mr Savas), known to be suffering bipolar/depressive symptoms, to swear misleading affidavits, placing him in an invidious position
• Misleading the court on oath - conduct of the utmost seriousness
• Remorse only expressed at the 11th hour after adverse findings, given limited weight

Mitigating factors:

• No relevant prior disciplinary history (of limited significance given seriousness)
• 30 character references, mostly from legal practitioners
• Pro bono and community/committee work
• Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (given little weight; no established causal link to the dishonest conduct)
• Late expressions of remorse