Australia - Queensland: Barrister struggles to hold onto practising certificate after controversy with massager | Practice Source - Legal News and Views

It’s different up there in Qld!

Australian Lawyers Weekly

Salvatore Di Carlo, a barrister of over 30 years standing, filed an application to review the Bar Association of Queensland’s decision not to renew his practising certificate due to a debtor’s petition for bankruptcy filed in August and five disclosure failures.

According to a judgment from the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT), the Bar’s decision related to the District Court’s June order that Di Carlo repay $240,000 to a woman he befriended after a visit to her massage parlour in 2009.In that QCAT judgment, Di Carlo had tried but failed to get a stay of the Bar’s refusal to renew his practising certificate.

Justice Kerri Mellifont, president of QCAT, said she did not consider Di Carlo’s evidence was sufficient to warrant an inference that his practice would be irreparably harmed by not getting the stay.

“While it is possible that some clients may go elsewhere if they are not able to engage Di Carlo, and may not return in the event Di Calo is successful in the substantive review application, I do not consider that the matter rises to the level of irremediable prejudice to Di Carlo in the way contended by Di Carlo,” Justice Mellifont said.

Australia – Queensland: Barrister struggles to hold onto practising certificate after controversy with massager