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discipline 4 October 2026

The duty in context

No baseless or threatened misconduct report profession

The lawyer must not make or threaten a professional-misconduct allegation or report without a genuine, reasonably held and bona fide belief that it applies.

505 cases 43% strike-off avg suspension 15.0 mo avg fine 83,213 198 with dishonesty finding

How the codes express this duty

E&W Solicitors SRA Principles & Code no clear equivalent
E&W Barristers BSB Handbook rC67 strong 28 cases
rC67 You must never make, or threaten to make, a report under Rule rC66 without a genuine and reasonably held belief that Rule rC66 applies.

BSB Handbook Part 2: Code of Conduct · 5.0 · archived copy · official source ↗

Cayman Islands Legal Services Code 2026 no clear equivalent
AU Solicitors Solicitors' Conduct Rules Rule 32.1 strong 198 cases
A solicitor must not make an allegation against another Australian legal practitioner of unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct unless the allegation is made bona fide and the solicitor believes on reasonable grounds that available material by which the allegation could be supported provides a proper basis for it.

Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules · 2015 (June 2026 compilation) · archived copy · official source ↗

AU Barristers Uniform Barristers Rules no clear equivalent
IE Solicitors Law Society Guide no clear equivalent
IE Barristers Bar Code of Conduct no clear equivalent
JM Attorneys Canons of Professional Ethics no clear equivalent
JE Lawyers Law Society of Jersey Code no clear equivalent
ON Lawyers LSO Rules of Prof. Conduct r 3.2-5(b); r 7.1-3 commentary [1] partial
3.2-5 A lawyer shall not, in an attempt to gain a benefit for a client, threaten, or advise a client to threaten, without reasonable and lawful justification ... (b) to make a complaint to a regulatory authority. [7.1-3 commentary [1]: In all cases, the report must be made without malice or ulterior motive. 3.2-5 commentary [1]: It is an abuse of the process of a court or, ordinarily, a regulatory authority to threaten to make or advance a charge or complaint in order to secure the satisfaction of a private grievance.]

Law Society of Ontario — Rules of Professional Conduct · current · archived copy · official source ↗

BC Lawyers BC Code r 7.1-3, commentary [2] partial 37 cases
Nothing in this paragraph is meant to interfere with the lawyer-client relationship. In all cases, the report must be made without malice or ulterior motive.

Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia (BC Code) · 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗

NZ Lawyers Conduct & Client Care Rules r 2.10 strong
A lawyer must not use, or threaten to use, the complaints or disciplinary process for an improper purpose.

Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008 · SR 2008/214 · archived copy · official source ↗

SCO Solicitors LSS Standards of Conduct no clear equivalent
SG Lawyers Professional Conduct Rules 2015 r 29 (Allegations against another legal practitioner) partial 6 cases
29 Allegations against another legal practitioner

Legal Profession (Professional Conduct) Rules 2015 · 2015 · archived copy · official source ↗

HK Solicitors Solicitors' Guide no clear equivalent
HK Barristers Bar Code of Conduct para 10.50 partial
A practising barrister shall not make any allegation of misconduct or dishonesty against another barrister unless such allegation is supported by reasonably credible evidence.

Code of Conduct of the Bar of the Hong Kong SAR · 2018 · archived copy · official source ↗

Cases dealing with this duty

Clear

505 decisions · link basis: found breached = a tribunal finding; rule cited = the mapped provision is cited in the decision; text match = high-precision text pattern

  • Christopher James Hibbert
    GLC attorney 194 of 2017 2018-12-05 found breached

    Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered December 05, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 194/2017 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (HILARY…

    Fined 1 PDF View decision
  • An Bui
    LSC-QLD solicitor Benson Lawyers 2018-12-03 found breached

    In respect of Charge 1 there is a fiding that the Respondent has committed professional misconduct. In respect of Charge 2 there is a finding that the Respondent has committed professional misconduct

    Suspended 2 PDFs View decision
  • Ian H. Robins
    GLC attorney 107 of 2018 2018-11-29 found breached

    Sanction Stayed Pending Appeal | Court of Appeal decision delivered November 29, 2018. View PDF [2018] JMCA App 38 JAMAICA IN THE COURT OF APPEAL MISCELLANOUS APPEAL NO 6/18 APPLICATION NO 107/2018 BETWEEN IAN H ROBINS …

    Sanction Stayed Pending Appeal 7 PDFs View decision
  • Keith Nicholas Linedale Sullivan
    LSC-QLD solicitor 2018-11-29 found breached

    Guilty of professional misconduct on all charges.

    Struck off 1 PDF View decision
  • NICHOLAS NEIL PETER OUD
    LPBWA lawyer PO Box 326 BURSWOOD WA 6100 Legal Profession Complaints Committee v Oud [2018] WASAT 2018-11-05 found breached

    Professional Misconduct, Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct

    Professional Misconduct, Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct 2 PDFs View decision
  • Diane Elise Jobson
    GLC attorney 183 of 2017 2018-10-27 found breached

    Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered October 27, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 183/2017 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (RICHARD…

    Fined 1 PDF View decision
  • Jerome Alexander Dixon
    GLC attorney 255 of 2017 2018-10-27 found breached

    Struck off | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered October 27, 2018. || RESULT: Guilty of Professional Misconduct | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered October 01, 2018. View PDF of Decision View PDF of Formal…

    Struck off 2 PDFs View decision
  • Carlton Melbourne
    GLC attorney 199 of 2017 2018-10-27 found breached

    Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered October 27, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 199/2017 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (HILARY …

    Fined 1 PDF View decision
  • Thomson, Craig Robert
    OLSC solicitor Health Services Union [2018] NSWCA 230 2018-10-17 found breached

    1. Theft and misappropriation of funds belonging to the Health Services Union and abuse of fiduciary or a quasi-fiduciary relationship over an extended period 2. Failure to disclose Federal Court findings as to contrave…

    Costs Removal of lawyer's name from the Roll of Local Lawyers $0.00 1 PDF View decision
  • Jennifer Messado
    GLC attorney 124 of 2017 2018-10-08 found breached

    Struck off | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered October 08, 2018 - Sanction Hearing. || Guilty of Professional Misconduct | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered September 15, 2018. View PDF DECISION OF THE D…

    Struck off 1 PDF View decision
  • Jerome Alexander Dixon
    GLC attorney 255 of 2017 2018-10-01 found breached

    Guilty of Professional Misconduct | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered October 01, 2018. || RESULT: Struck off | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered October 27, 2018. View PDF DECISION OF THE DISCIPLINARY C…

    Guilty of Professional Misconduct 1 PDF View decision
  • Lancelot A. St. Martin Cowan
    GLC attorney 17 of 2016 2018-09-20 found breached

    Struck off | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered September 20, 2018. || RESULT: Guilty of Professional Misconduct | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered March 14, 2018. View PDF DECISION ON SANCTION IN THE MA…

    Struck off 1 PDF View decision
  • Tamika Kahlilah Spencer
    GLC attorney 189 of 2017 2018-09-15 found breached

    Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered September 15, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 189/2017 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (ALLAN…

    Fined 1 PDF View decision
  • Charles Alcides Pullar Ganga-Singh
    GLC attorney 80 of 2014 2018-09-15 found breached

    Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered September 15, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 80/2014 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (HILARY…

    Fined 1 PDF View decision
  • Courtney Akinwale Kazembe
    GLC attorney 139 of 2017 2018-09-15 found breached

    Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered September 15, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 139/2017 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (ALLAN…

    Fined 1 PDF View decision
  • ARTHUR METAXAS
    LPBWA lawyer Level 4 37 St Georges Tce PERTH WA 6000 Legal Practitioners Complaints Committee v Metaxas [2018] WASAT 28 and [2018] WASAT 28 (S) 2018-08-29 found breached

    Professional Misconduct and public reprimand

    Professional Misconduct and public reprimand 2 PDFs View decision
  • Peter Brown
    LSC-QLD solicitor Browns Lawyers 2018-08-10 found breached

    The respondents conduct constitutes professional misconduct

    Suspended 1 PDF View decision
  • Norma E. Greig Miller
    GLC attorney 151 of 2017 2018-07-28 found breached

    Reprimanded | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered July 28, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 151/2017 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (ALLA…

    Reprimanded 1 PDF View decision
  • Lenworth A. Burke
    GLC attorney 157 of 2017 2018-07-28 found breached

    Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered July 28, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 157/2017 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NOVAR PATR…

    Fined 1 PDF View decision
  • Lindsay Terence LAWRENCE
    LSC-QLD solicitor Lawrence and Associates 2018-07-03 found breached

    1. Declared respondent's conduct subject of charges 1, 3, 4 & 5 amounts to professional misconduct. 2. Charge 2 dismissed

    Struck off 1 PDF View decision
  • Erich Hein CONRADIE
    LSC-QLD solicitor Conradie and Associates 2018-06-12 found breached

    Guilty professional misconduct on charges 1, 3 and 4.

    other 1 PDF View decision
  • Leonie Marie Campbell
    GLC attorney 167 of 2017 2018-05-19 found breached

    Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered May 19, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 167/2017 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (RICHARD AYO…

    Fined 1 PDF View decision
  • Grant Reuben FORWARD
    LSC-QLD barrister Grant Reuben Forward 2018-05-15 found breached

    Guilty of one count of professional misconduct for being convicted of a serious criminal offence.

    other 1 PDF View decision
  • Jacqueline Marie Minto
    GLC attorney 145 of 2017 2018-05-05 found breached

    Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered May 05, 2018. View PDF FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 145/2017 IN THE MATTER OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL (ALLAN WOOD …

    Fined 1 PDF View decision
  • Gary O’Flynn
    LSI solicitor Gary O’Flynn, Solicitors, Unit 9 Nof Commercial Centre, Old Mallow Road, Cork 2018-04-16 found breached

    In the matter of Gary O’Flynn, a solicitor formerly practising as Gary O’Flynn, Solicitors, Unit 9 Nof Commercial Centre, Old Mallow Road, Cork, and in the matter of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2015 [10549/DT20/16 and High…

    strike_off View decision

Duty classification does not yet cover every jurisdiction (Ontario, New Zealand and Singapore decisions are indexed but not yet duty-classified), so counts here understate those corpora.