TRICIA Y. BACHMANN

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

The Legal Practitioners Complaints Committee brought two applications against practitioner Tricia Y Bachmann alleging unprofessional conduct arising from her employment at Aragon Legal. In the G matter she made knowingly false (fraudulent) representations about court documents work she claimed to have done, invoiced clients ~$23,000, lodged caveats falsely claiming Aragon was a secured creditor and pursued recovery proceedings. In the eight-clients matter (five liquor licensing and three other matters) she made knowingly false representations that applications/work had been lodged or done, invoiced for undone work, breached s 137 (trust monies) and practised while suspended contrary to s 203. The Tribunal expressly found her conduct dishonest and disgraceful and found she lied to the Tribunal and fabricated documents. It found her guilty of unsatisfactory conduct by unprofessional conduct. On penalty (supplementary decision), the reconstituted Tribunal found her not a fit and proper person to remain a legal practitioner, transmitted a report to the Supreme Court (full bench) recommending she be struck off the Roll, continued her suspension pending that determination, and ordered her to pay the LPCC's disbursements of $67,253.21 and filing fees of $270.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money

Aggravating factors:

• Repeated and sustained dishonesty over August 2005 to May 2006 in dealings with clients, employer and other practitioners
• Fabrication of false documents to support claims of work undertaken
• Dishonest and evasive conduct during the hearing, including lying to the Tribunal
• Providing false addresses for herself and witnesses and making fanciful/false claims about witnesses being warned off
• Repeated non-compliance with directions and delaying tactics causing lengthy, costly proceedings
• No remorse or insight; failure to understand impropriety of conduct

Mitigating factors:

• Conduct may have been affected by her mental condition, though there was insufficient medical evidence to establish this
• Practitioner was self-represented and under some stress
• Practitioner was under considerable workplace pressure at Aragon