Lawyer suspended from practice

Lawyer suspended from practice

The New Zealand Law Society today announced that it had been granted an interim order for the suspension of Napier lawyer Gerald McKay from legal practice.

The order for interim suspension was made by the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal following an application by the Society’s Hawke’s Bay Standards Committee.

Gerald McKay is a partner in Hawke’s Bay law firm McKay Hill.

Earlier this month the Law Society used its power under section 164 of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 to intervene and to secure the trust account of McKay Hill.

Hawke’s Bay Standards Committee spokesperson Jonathan Krebs said this followed identification of irregularities in the firm’s trust account.

“We intervened to ensure that client money in the account was protected,” he said. “The Society froze and secured trust account funds at the time of intervention.”

Mr Krebs said Law Society inspectors had since been investigating the position as quickly as possible, as it was appreciated clients of the firm would be concerned.

“We have been in direct contact with all clients who have a balance in the trust fund,” he said. “The clients were provided with a phone number and special email address for communication with the Society, and we are keeping them updated on the progress of the investigation.”

Mr Krebs said the affairs of McKay Hill were now being managed by Steve Lunn, an attorney appointed by the firm.

ENDS

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