JULIA JOHNSTON

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

Julia Johnston, an experienced legal practitioner acting as independent children's lawyer in Family Court proceedings, was found by consent to have engaged in unsatisfactory professional conduct by failing to make appropriate enquiries before making submissions, and by disclosing confidential information about the father's mental health to the child's school. The Tribunal found a reprimand appropriate and ordered $2,500 costs. The father's application for a compensation order (claiming up to $60,000) was refused because he suffered no loss caused by the conduct, as the supervised contact arrangements arose from consent orders. No dishonesty was found.

Duties found breached:

• Personal probity and fitness to practise
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Mitigating factors:

• Enquiry not made was of an officer in a different area, not the officer with carriage of the charges; she did make enquiries of the officer with carriage
• Disclosure of confidential information, while wrong, was well motivated by concern for the welfare of the child and others at the school
• Senior practitioner with over 30 years' experience and no disciplinary record
• Highly regarded character reference from Legal Aid
• Commendable commitment to welfare and protection of children (approx. 500 ICL/separate representative cases at legal aid rates)
• Considerable community service including chairing a charitable trust; runner up in Law Society Community Service Awards
• Acknowledged conduct, demonstrated insight, remorse and apology