SZE MING LIM

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

The Legal Practitioners Complaints Committee brought six allegations against practitioner Sze Ming Lim, all admitted. Findings included neglect/undue delay, unprofessional and unsatisfactory conduct involving misleading multiple clients (including fabricating counsel's advice and fictitious settlement offers), and illegal conduct in stealing $176,430.01 from a client via unauthorised cheques while acting as his enduring attorney. The Tribunal found he had lied to clients, stolen client money and failed to act in clients' best interests, and was not a fit and proper person to remain in the profession. Rather than exercise its own disciplinary power, the Tribunal transmitted a report to the Supreme Court (full bench) recommending removal from the Roll, suspended the practitioner pending that determination, and ordered him to pay costs fixed at $9,300.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• No improper use of client money
• Diligence and timeliness
• Good faith and courtesy to colleagues

Aggravating factors:

• Fundamental breach of fiduciary duty by stealing client funds
• Repeated lying to multiple clients over extended periods
• Fabrication of counsel's advice documents and fictitious settlement offers
• Significant periods of neglect (up to ~5 years)
• Conduct of the utmost seriousness affecting several clients

Mitigating factors:

• Admitted all six allegations and the underlying facts
• Made restitution of $176,430.00 for the stolen funds
• Acknowledged through counsel that striking off was inevitable

⚠ figures not found verbatim in the source were dropped: ["unverified_costs_amount=9300"]