Alexia Margaret WARREN

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

Ms Warren acted for Mr and Mrs Rowland on the sale and purchase of properties. After settlement she failed for over three years to provide settlement statements or account for $537.65 held in trust, and failed to respond to a s 443(3) notice from the Legal Services Commissioner. The Tribunal found both charges proven as professional misconduct. It made an express finding that Ms Warren was dishonest and untruthful in her evidence, fabricating accounts of communications with clients and the Commissioner. Given her dishonesty, lack of remorse, lack of insight and uncooperative/combative conduct, the Tribunal found her not a fit and proper person and ordered her name removed from the local roll. Costs and a compensation claim were left for later submissions.

Duties found breached:

• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Aggravating factors:

• Untruthful and fabricated evidence given before the Tribunal; dishonest approach to evidence
• Implausible and repeated denials of receipt of communications; deliberate avoidance and obfuscation
• Persistent failure to cooperate with the Legal Services Commissioner
• Voluminous, irrelevant and unmeritorious arguments; combative approach to proceedings
• No remorse and complete lack of insight into her own misconduct
• Failure ever to account to clients or release trust funds, even by date of hearing