Disciplinary Register

The Register of Disciplinary Action contains information about lawyers who have been disciplined.

Disciplinary action may be taken by the Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, the Supreme Court or in some cases, by their interstate equivalents.

Below you can search the Register by lawyer’s name and/or the disciplinary action taken, or view the entire Register.

A finding of Professional Misconduct, whether made by the Commissioner, the Tribunal or the Supreme Court, must be published on the Register.

A less serious finding of Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct may be included on the Register, at the discretion of the Commissioner.

Not all lawyers subject to disciplinary action prior to 1 July 2014 are listed on the Register. Only lawyers who have been struck-off (ie removed from practice), suspended from practice or placed under supervision for a period of time (and which is still in effect as at 1 July 2014) are on the Register. Some information isn't on the Register for older disciplinary actions.

Lawyers found guilty of misconduct in other jurisdictions may have their details published on an interstate disciplinary action register.

If a finding that is entered on the Register is appealed, then the fact of the appeal will also be noted on the Register. If the appeal, or indeed any review:

results in the finding being quashed, then any reference to that disciplinary action must be removed from the Register;
results in the finding being otherwise varied, then the Register will be amended appropriately.

The Act and the Regulations were amended as from 30 July 2017 so that, in some cases, the Commissioner now has the discretion to remove information that he had previously included on the Register. However, he can only do so where the information relates to relatively minor misconduct, and only if it has been at least 2 years since the later of:

the inclusion of the information on the Register; and
the fulfilment of the order or requirement to which the information relates.

Disclaimer: The Commissioner is required to maintain the Register of Disciplinary Action in accordance with the Act, Section 89C. While all reasonable care is taken to make sure the information on the Register is correct and up-to-date, the Commissioner is not liable for any loss or damage that may result from reliance on the Register or from any error or deficiency in the Register. The Commissioner also has certain specific protections from liability under section 89F of the Act.

Lawyer name

Date of decision	Full name	Decision	Disciplinary action taken
2016	Gregory Donovan Gwynfor Morcom	Practitioner not a fit and proper person to remain a legal practioner	Struck off
Full name Gregory Donovan Gwynfor Morcom Date of birth 20 September 1977 Business address * 11 First Street, Wingfield SA 5013 Date(s) of admission 10 October 2005 Jurisdiction(s) of admission South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter Convictions for possession of child pornography and possession of a prescribed firearm without a licence, convictions for breach of bail, convictions for offences contrary to the Customs Act, 1901 (Cth), convictions for possession of prescribed equipment and prescription drugs without a prescription, breach of an undertaking given to the Supreme Court not to practise law, and numerous breaches of a suspended sentence bond and supervised bail agreement including by the use of methylamphetamine. Decision Practitioner not a fit and proper person to remain a legal practioner Date of decision 04 November 2016 Disciplinary action taken Struck off Notes Appeal period expires 02/12/16 Regulatory authority Supreme Court of South Australia Appeal Decision or order Link to published decision
2016	Lachlan Nathan McAuliffe	Unprofessional Conduct (pre-1 July 2014) & Professional Misconduct (post-1 July 2014)	Multiple Disciplinary Action
Full name Lachlan Nathan McAuliffe Date of birth 07 February 1973 Business address * 19 Norman Street, Port Pirie SA 5540 Date(s) of admission 04 September 1995 Jurisdiction(s) of admission South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter Unreasonable delay in obtaining Probate (equivalent) and finalising deceased estate. Decision Unprofessional Conduct (pre-1 July 2014) & Professional Misconduct (post-1 July 2014) Date of decision 19 May 2016 Disciplinary action taken Multiple Disciplinary Action Conditions on Practising Certificate Refrain from doing something Reprimand Notes Regulatory authority Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner Appeal Decision or order Decision not published
2015	George Joseph Stephen Mancini	Unsatisfactory Conduct and Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct	Reprimand
Full name George Joseph Stephen Mancini Date of birth 25 March 1956 Business address * 43 Wright Street, Adelaide SA 5000 Date(s) of admission 21 December 1978 Jurisdiction(s) of admission South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter Failing to submit client's application for legal aid, failing to appear at Court to represent client. Decision Unsatisfactory Conduct and Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct Date of decision 29 October 2015 Disciplinary action taken Reprimand Notes Regulatory authority Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner Appeal Decision or order Link to published decision
2015	Stephen Michael Clark	Unprofessional Conduct	Multiple Disciplinary Action
Full name Stephen Michael Clark Date of birth 16 January 1957 Business address * Adelaide Road Chambers, 1 Adelaide Road, Gawler SA 5118 Date(s) of admission 19 December 1983 Jurisdiction(s) of admission South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter Threatening and inappropriate communications with client, overcharging, misappropriation of trust money, asserting a false claim to a lien over settlement funds, preferring his own interests of those of his clients. Decision Unprofessional Conduct Date of decision 16 October 2015 Disciplinary action taken Multiple Disciplinary Action Fine Order to apologise Reprimand Notes Regulatory authority Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner Appeal Decision or order Decision not published
2015	Robert Neil Brook	Unprofessional Conduct	Struck off
Full name Robert Neil Brook Date of birth 25 April 1953 Business address * Level 2, 60 Waymouth Street, Adelaide SA 5000 Date(s) of admission 20 December 1982 Jurisdiction(s) of admission South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter 1. Conflict of interest. 2. Drew a Will without satisfying himself that the testatrix had testamentary capacity. 3. Dishonestly misleading another practitioner re: amount of party/party costs. 4. Misappropriation of Trust monies. 5. Failed to deposit Trust monies into Trust. 6. Failed to account for costs. 7. Breach of Fiduciary Duty to his client. 8. Conflict of Interest. Decision Unprofessional Conduct Date of decision 09 September 2015 Disciplinary action taken Struck off Notes The Order of the Full Court of the Supreme Court is effective from 9 September 2015 Regulatory authority Supreme Court Appeal Appeal by LPCC against decision of LPDT dated 23/04/15 Decision or order Link to published decision , Link to published decision