Shayne Chapman

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

The respondent solicitor was found to have engaged in professional misconduct for charging excessive fees, with a 42% disparity between the $674,249.54 charged and the assessed amount. The Tribunal accepted the agreed characterisation and sanction: a public reprimand, a five-year condition prohibiting deferred fee retainers, completion of the QLS Remedial Ethics course, and payment of the LSC's costs. No penalty was imposed. The complainant's application for a compensation order of $7,500 was dismissed as no pecuniary loss causally connected to the overcharging was established, since Judge McGill SC's earlier order had reconciled all amounts between the parties.

Duties found breached:

• Fair, reasonable and lawful fees

Aggravating factors:

• Experienced practitioner (11-12 years in practice at time of conduct)
• Solely responsible for the large sum overcharged
• No evidence of addressing complainant's concerns after issuing invoices or commencing recovery proceedings
• No offers of compromise during costs assessment or review
• No rehabilitative professional development to address the conduct
• Initially maintained to the Commission that she had not engaged in wrongdoing

Mitigating factors:

• No disciplinary history in Queensland
• Ultimately conceded conduct constituted professional misconduct and agreed sanction
• No longer accepts deferred fee work; 95% of firm's work now fixed fee
• Apologised to complainant
• Low risk of recurrence