Janet Mason, the senior Wellington lawyer and counsel assisting the Commission of Inquiry into the appointment of the Commissioner of FICAC, will be suspended from practising for three months, effective from the 11th of the next month.
The Post reports that this suspension follows disciplinary proceedings that began in Fiji and led to charges of unsatisfactory conduct, including failing to complete a required civil litigation skills course.
They say Mason explained that her clients’ urgent needs had taken priority, but now, with additional support from other lawyers, she had completed the course.
They further say Mason appeared via audiovisual link to the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal in Wellington, where she confirmed her ongoing engagement with the Commission of Inquiry, despite the disciplinary proceedings.
They add that the tribunal found this failure to be a willful breach of rules, leading to the penalty.
While responding to fijivillage News this afternoon, Mason says she does not accept the decision and will appeal it.
She says the proceedings were part of an attempt to remove her from the inquiry.
The Senior Legal Counsel says it has no impact at all on her work in the CoI.
She says she will be seeking a stay on the suspension and she is confident that she will be granted a stay.
Mason says in the appeal, her integrity, reputation and professionalism will be vigorously defended.
The tribunal’s chairperson, Dale Clarkson says Mason’s suspension will begin after the expected end of her work with the Commission of Inquiry, which was supposed to conclude in January.
He says however, the inquiry's report is still pending and the tribunal’s decision will be reviewed later.
