Li Zhongsheng

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

The respondent, an advocate and solicitor, was convicted of cheating under s 417 of the Penal Code after using a misappropriated credit card left in a private hire vehicle to purchase items worth $4,349, and was sentenced to three weeks' imprisonment. The Law Society applied for him to be struck off. The Court of 3 Supreme Court Judges held that due cause was shown, that dishonesty was integral to the offence, and that the presumptive sanction of striking off applied with no exceptional facts to justify departure. The respondent accepted he should be struck off. He was struck off the roll and ordered to pay costs of $5,000.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations

Aggravating factors:

• Offence involving dishonesty integral to its commission
• Two additional charges taken into consideration (dishonest misappropriation under s 403 and further cheating under s 417)

Mitigating factors:

• Full restitution made
• Pleaded guilty and apologised
• Accepted that he should be struck off
• Seeking regular psychiatric treatment and therapy for mental conditions
• Completed a course to support himself and others with workplace stressors