Filipe Naikaso 
Attorney General Graham Leung states that Fiji’s legal profession is facing growing challenges related to lawyer competence and ethical conduct.
While opening the Fiji Law Society Convention in Nadi today, Leung revealed that since the inception of the Legal Practitioner’s Unit, 3,915 complaints against lawyers have been lodged, with 1,910 successfully resolved.
However, he states that 2,005 complaints remain pending.
Leung expresses concern over the state of the legal profession, suggesting that these figures reflect deeper issues within the industry.
He acknowledges that while the profession had grown over time, it had also experienced a troubling shift away from its traditional values.
The Attorney General says that the quality of some of these lawyers leaves a lot to be desired while a certain few lack basic communication skills, others have little understanding of legal ethics, and some even lack a fundamental grasp of the law.
“Some of the complaints, for example, have and do relate to trust account breaches or defalcations, practicing without a valid PC, conflicts of interest, overcharging, acting without instructions, etc.”
In addition to these concerns, Leung highlights serious ethical lapses and professional misconduct.
He points to the recent case of a high court judge fining a legal practitioner $200 for repeated non-attendances in court as an example of the growing professionalism issues facing the sector.
Leung says that while the legal profession has expanded, he believes that the sense of camaraderie and collegiality that once defined the profession has, in some respects, diminished.
He adds this shift reflects a move away from the profession’s foundational ethos of unity and respect.
