Legal Services Commissioner v Perrin

The Legal Services Commissioner brought proceedings against Matthew David Perrin, a registered legal practitioner in Queensland, seeking his removal from the roll of legal practitioners. The basis for the application was the respondent's conviction for serious offences of dishonesty, including forgery and fraud. Perrin did not oppose the application and waived all rights to file any material, make any arguments, or otherwise oppose the orders sought by the Commissioner.

The court needed to determine whether the respondent's convictions for serious offences of dishonesty constituted professional misconduct or unsatisfactory professional conduct under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (Queensland). The court also had to decide if the respondent's name should be removed from the roll of legal practitioners in Queensland.

The court noted that Perrin's convictions for forgery and fraud were serious offences of dishonesty and reflected very badly on his fitness to practise as a legal practitioner. Given the nature and seriousness of the offences, the court concluded that they constituted professional misconduct and unsatisfactory professional conduct. The court also found that Perrin's conduct demonstrated a lack of honesty, which was a core element of the legal profession. As such, the court was satisfied that removing Perrin's name from the roll of legal practitioners was necessary in the public interest.

The court ordered that the name of Matthew David Perrin be removed from the roll of legal practitioners in Queensland and that he pay the Legal Services Commissioner's costs of and incidental to the discipline application. The costs were to be assessed on the standard basis in the manner in which costs would be assessed if the matter were in the Supreme Court of Queensland.