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 was in effect as at 1 July 2014) are on the Register. Some information is not 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 Commissioner has a discretion to remove information that was previously included on the Register. They 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.
| Date of decision | Full name | Decision | Disciplinary action taken | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | John Mark Fitzpatrick | Struck off the Roll of Legal Practitioners | Struck off | |
|
Full name
John Mark Fitzpatrick
Business address *
Unit 1, 121 Walkerville Terrace, Walkerville SA 5081
Date(s) of admission
15 December 1986
Jurisdiction(s) of admission
Home jurisdiction *
South Australia
Substance of Conduct Matter
Repeated failures and breaches of Rules relating to the conduct of legal practitioners, including, repeated failures to respond in an adequate and timely manner to requests for information from the Commissioner and the Law Society, failing to honour an undertaking, delay without reasonable excuse, making a false and misleading statement to a client, failing to act in the best interests of clients, failing to deliver services competently and diligently, acting without instructions, making a dishonest statement to other solicitors, failing to complete MCPD requirements and breaching an order of the Supreme Court on 2 occasions.
Decision
Struck off the Roll of Legal Practitioners
Date of decision
07 March 2025
Disciplinary action taken
Notes
Regulatory authority
Supreme Court
Appeal
Decision or order
Link to published decision
|
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| 2025 | Darren Paul Kruse | Professional Misconduct | Multiple Disciplinary Action | |
|
Full name
Darren Paul Kruse
Business address *
20 Coromandel Parade, Blackwood SA 5051
Date(s) of admission
14 July 2008
Jurisdiction(s) of admission
Home jurisdiction *
South Australia
Substance of Conduct Matter
Practising while in breach of a condition on his Practising Certificate regarding completion of an accredited Law Practice Management Course.
Decision
Professional Misconduct
Date of decision
04 March 2025
Disciplinary action taken
Notes
Fine amount $4,000.00
Regulatory authority
Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner
Appeal
Decision or order
Decision not published
|
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| 2025 | Natale Vincent Oliveri | Professional Misconduct | Multiple Disciplinary Action | |
|
Full name
Natale Vincent Oliveri
Business address *
31 Beach Road, Christies Beach SA 5165
Date(s) of admission
06 December 2004
Jurisdiction(s) of admission
Home jurisdiction *
South Australia
Substance of Conduct Matter
Contravention of Orders made by the Commissioner under section 77J(1)(a) of the Act.
Decision
Professional Misconduct
Date of decision
26 February 2025
Disciplinary action taken
Notes
Fine amount $3,000.00
Regulatory authority
Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner
Appeal
Decision or order
Decision not published
|
||||
| 2025 | Gregory Neil Welden | Professional Misconduct | Multiple Disciplinary Action | |
|
Full name
Gregory Neil Welden
Business address *
179 Grange Road, Findon SA 5023
Date(s) of admission
07 September 1998
Jurisdiction(s) of admission
Home jurisdiction *
South Australia
Substance of Conduct Matter
Executing PEXA Lands Title Registration forms without authority
Decision
Professional Misconduct
Date of decision
17 February 2025
Disciplinary action taken
Notes
Fine amount $8,000.00
Regulatory authority
Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner
Appeal
Decision or order
Decision not published
|
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| 2025 | Alistair John Ormiston Field | Professional Misconduct | Multiple Disciplinary Action | |
|
Full name
Alistair John Ormiston Field
Business address *
Adelaide Hills Law Chambers, 3/10 Gawler Street MT BARKER SA 5251
Date(s) of admission
07 October 2003
Jurisdiction(s) of admission
Home jurisdiction *
South Australia
Substance of Conduct Matter
1. For the financial years ending 30 June 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Practitioner failed to:
(i) submit to the Law Society the required statements regarding the receipt or holding of trust money, contrary to Regulation 48;
(ii) have the trust records ready for external examination by the time required, in breach of Clause 25(2) of Schedule 2; and
(iii) have the trust records externally examined, an offence under Clause 34(1) of Schedule 2.
2. The Practitioner failed to pay the required deposit of $9,100.00 into the Combined Trust Account for the period ending on 30 November 2022.
3. Monthly reconciliations of the trust account were not always made by the 15 day of the next month as required by Regulation 31(3).
4. As of 21 July 2022 there were three dormant balances in the trust account:
(i) $100.00 held since 3 May 2019;
(ii) $400.00 held since 31 July 2020; and
(iii) $8.17 held since 26 January 2020.
5. The Practitioner failed to keep proper records as follows:
(i) he did not make out a receipt for each deposit of trust money as soon as practicable after its receipt;
(ii) he did not printed and kept as required confirmation of EFT payments; and
(iii) payments from trust were not always recorded in the trust records within five (5) business days as required, in breach of Regulation 28(4).
6. The Practitioner brought all trust account records up to date and was fully compliant by the time of the next trust account compliance audit at the end of 2023.
Decision
Professional Misconduct
Date of decision
03 February 2025
Disciplinary action taken
Notes
Fine amount $2,500.00 to be paid in five monthly instalments of $500.00 each.
Regulatory authority
Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner
Appeal
Decision or order
Decision not published
|
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