14 complaints received against Law Society President

A total of 14 complaints have been received by the Chief Registrar against the current Fiji Law Society President Dorsami Naidu dating back to October 2002 to March 2009.

The allegations against Naidu range from unsatisfactory professional conduct, unreasonable standard of competence and diligence and that the legal practitioner is allegedly not a fit and proper person to engage in legal practice.

The Charges documents obtained by Fijivillage news highlight that in 2004, Naidu had allegedly promised a client that he will give her a block of land and the client paid a requisite fee of $30,000.

Naidu than allegedly took another $12,000 after promising the client two other separate lots of land. It is alleged that nothing was ever done by Naidu on the agreement he had with the client who has now passed away.

It is also alleged that in 2007, Naidu received $10,800 in fees from a client for the purchase of a land, plus $250 and $300 for surveyor’s fees but after preparing the sale and purchase agreement he allegedly failed to get the other joint owner to sign and it was invalid.

In another case, Naidu acted for a client in a case against the Fiji Times and was allegedly paid $770 and later demanded an extra 30 percent of the total claim.

He allegedly failed to provide a bill of costs and failed to provide an account of work done by him.

It is also alleged that Naidu was paid $3,750 as legal costs for the sale of 400 acres of land and he allegedly failed to prepare and register the title for the remaining 22 acres of land, failed to advise the client on the progress and caused considerable delays in the case

Naidu is also alleged to have failed to conduct necessary proceedings to stop a payment of $30,000 for a client whose former husband had passed away.

Naidu appeared before the Independent Legal Services Commission yesterday and the matters are set for hearing on February 5th.