Senior Barrister Janet Mason. [File Photo]

Senior Barrister Janet Mason is expected to be suspended from practising law for three months.

According to a media outlet in New Zealand, this follows disciplinary proceedings related to her failure to complete a required civil litigation course.

Mason has been assisting the Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating the appointment process of Barbara Malimali as Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.

The inquiry is assessing whether the appointment was conducted with integrity, fairness, and transparency, in accordance with the law.

According to the media report, Mason, who holds dual New Zealand and Fijian citizenship, appeared remotely from Fiji during a hearing of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal in Wellington.

She claimed that the disciplinary proceedings were part of an effort to have her removed from her role in the inquiry.

According to Mason, both the head of the COI and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka were informed about the proceedings, and she confirmed that she remains engaged with the Commission.

While the tribunal had initially considered suppressing the penalty phase of the hearing until the inquiry report is completed in April, it ruled that Mason would be suspended for three months starting in April.

Additionally, she is required to cover the costs of the Wellington Lawyers’ Standards Committee that made the complaint and reimburse the New Zealand Law Society for its tribunal-related expenses.

The tribunal also indicated that a written decision, including a censure against Mason, will be released later.

Mason has already filed an appeal against the initial ruling, which found her guilty of breaching a training order by failing to complete a required civil litigation course.

She also plans to appeal the penalty decision, citing concerns over bias, unfairness, and irrelevant considerations.

Mason, who has practised law for 25 years, maintains that her integrity and professionalism will be vigorously defended in the appeals process.

The disciplinary action stemmed from Mason’s failure to complete the civil litigation skills course, which was part of a decision by the standards committee after a High Court judge referred the matter.

The tribunal determined that her failure to comply was either wilful or reckless, though Mason has since completed the course.

During the hearing, Mason explained that she had prioritised client work and had felt everything was urgent, leading to her failure to complete the course within the set timeframe. She also mentioned that she now has other lawyers on staff to manage her workload.

Mason opposed any suspension, and her lawyer, Tiho Mijatov, argued that her work on the Fiji inquiry should be taken into consideration, as it was expected to conclude in January and she was entitled to continue working.

Mason had obtained a practising certificate in Fiji to carry out her duties on the inquiry, though it remains unclear whether the disciplinary proceedings in New Zealand will impact her status with the Fiji Law Society.

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