Misconduct definitions

There are two definitions of misconduct under the Act:

Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct

This type of misconduct only relates to the conduct of a lawyer when he or she is practising law. It occurs when a lawyer falls short of the standard of competence and diligence that a member of the public is entitled to expect when engaging a lawyer’s services.

Professional Misconduct

This is the more serious of the two types of misconduct.  There are two categories of Professional Misconduct as follows: 

• Where a lawyer engages in Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct (ie the less serious type of misconduct), but he or she does so substantially or consistently.
• Where the lawyer’s conduct, either professionally or outside of the practice of the law, would justify a finding that the lawyer is not a fit and proper person to practise law.