Barry Hart struck off
The Auckland crime barrister was earlier found guilty of professional misconduct by grossly overcharging clients. RAW DATA: Disciplinary Tribunal's penalty decision.
Auckland crime barrister Barry Hart has been struck off as a lawyer.
He was earlier found guilty by the Lawyers and Conveyancers disciplinary tribunal for professional misconduct.
Striking off was the penalty the New Zealand Law Society wanted for Mr Hart, who grossly overcharged some clients and obstructed disciplinary proceedings.
He must also pay $20,000 to the family he overcharged, $98,965 of the standards committee's costs, and the disciplinary tribunals costs of $45,000.
Law society president Jonathan Temm says striking off is a severe penalty and has obvious consequences for Mr Hart.
"However, the main purpose of striking off is to protect the community and maintain the standards of the legal profession," he says.
"All lawyers have a duty to co-operate with and assist in regulating the profession.
"The tribunal's decision has shown that New Zealanders can have confidence that there is a clear process which ensures that obstruction of professional regulation is not acceptable."
Mr Temm says the tribunal was "highly critical of what it described as 'the arrogant and derisory manner' in which Mr Hart had approached any complaint of his conduct".
Meanwhile, Mr Hart was ordered this week to get off the farm he no longer owns.
ANZ sold properties in Mr Hart's $26 million property portfolio in order to recover his $30 million-plus debt to the bank.
Caleb Allison
Fri, 14 Sep 2012
Fri, 14 Sep 2012
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Barry Hart struck off
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