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
2015	Patric Graham Alderman	Unprofessional Conduct	Struck off
Full name Patric Graham Alderman Date of birth 01 November 1937 Business address * 29 Regent Street, Parkside SA 5063 Date(s) of admission 05 June 1962 Jurisdiction(s) of admission South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter Acting as Solicitor when no entitled. Misleading the Court, clients and the profession. Misleading the LPCB Decision Unprofessional Conduct Date of decision 03 February 2015 Disciplinary action taken Struck off Notes Regulatory authority Supreme Court Appeal Decision or order Link to published decision
2015	Stephen Patrick McNamara	Interim Suspension Order	Suspension of Practising Certificate
Full name Stephen Patrick McNamara Date of birth 23 March 1955 Business address * Formerly of Commercial & General Law (SA), now in liquidiation Date(s) of admission 07 February 1978 Jurisdiction(s) of admission South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter Prima Facie case that the Practitioner misused trust monies. Decision Interim Suspension Order Date of decision 03 February 2015 Disciplinary action taken Suspension of Practising Certificate Notes The Interim Suspension Order is until further Order. Regulatory authority Supreme Court of South Australia Appeal Decision or order Link to published decision
2015	Gregory James Finlayson	Unsatisfactory conduct	Multiple Disciplinary Action
Full name Gregory James Finlayson Date of birth 24 October 1964 Business address * 175C King William Road, Hyde Park SA 5061 Date(s) of admission 23 July 2010, 09 July 2010 Jurisdiction(s) of admission New South Wales South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter Failing to comply with duty to Court, misleading the Court Decision Unsatisfactory conduct Date of decision 08 January 2015 Disciplinary action taken Multiple Disciplinary Action Conditions on Practising Certificate Reprimand Supervision Undertake training, education or counselling Notes Conditions and supervision end 12 January 2017 Regulatory authority Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal Appeal Decision or order Link to published decision
2014	Jeffrey David Vigar	Unprofessional Conduct	Multiple Disciplinary Action
Full name Jeffrey David Vigar Date of birth 05 May 1951 Business address * Date(s) of admission 06 February 1979 Jurisdiction(s) of admission South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter Practitioner was intoxicated in Court in January 2011. Decision Unprofessional Conduct Date of decision 10 December 2014 Disciplinary action taken Multiple Disciplinary Action Fine Other Reprimand Notes Fine in the amount of $3000 - Must file written undertaking not to practise again Regulatory authority Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal Appeal Decision or order Link to published decision
2014	Andris Sigismunds Bilkens	Unprofessional Conduct	Reprimand
Full name Andris Sigismunds Bilkens Date of birth 01 April 1958 Business address * 96 Gawler Place, Adelaide SA 5000 Date(s) of admission 31 January 2000 Jurisdiction(s) of admission South Australia Home jurisdiction * South Australia Substance of Conduct Matter By his conduct and correspondence, in communicating with another party after a friend was involved in a motor vehicle accident, Mr Bilkens held himself out as being entitled to practise the law when he did not hold a current Practising Certificate. Decision Unprofessional Conduct Date of decision 05 December 2014 Disciplinary action taken Reprimand Notes Reasons and judgement were delivered ex-tempore on 4 December 2014 when orders were made. The edited reasons were received on 10 March 2016. Regulatory authority Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal Appeal Decision or order Link to published decision