University of Queensland law student admits to practising law without a license through online site Airtasker
A former University of Queensland law student has admitted to practicing without a license after being fired as a paralegal. How it all ended
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A University of Queensland law student who was fired from a national firm has pleaded guilty to practising law without a license through the online jobs site Airtasker.
Jordan Koningham appeared at Southport Magistrates court where he pleaded guilty to advertising being entitled to and engaging in legal practice when not entitled.
Airtasker is a site that allows people to post jobs that can be completed for them by a ‘Tasker’ of their choice.
In late 2022, Koningham was suddenly terminated during the probationary period as a paralegal at an unnamed national law firm, his defence lawyer Erin Mitchell of Potts Lawyers told the court.
Following his termination, Koningham created an Airtasker profile advertising himself as a University of Queensland law graduate who had “experience working in-house in community and large law firm environments”.
Koningham, who had not yet graduated, created a listing for “contract reviewing/drafting from $25”, Legal Services Commission prosecutor V. R. Deane told the court.
Within a month of creating the profile, Koningham engaged seven clients despite not being an Australian legal practitioner and completed services including drafting legal documents, Ms Deane said.
Within that month, Koningham earned $653.72.
One client, a not-for-profit organisation advertised a task requiring legal help drafting a company constitution.
Koningham commented on the post saying he was “a law graduate” who “works with one of Queensland’s largest not for profits in their in-house legal department” and that he was “highly familiar with charity constitutions”.
In another instance, Koningham responded to a task requesting a lawyer to draft a customer contract saying he was a law graduate “who works for a national law firm” with experience “draft[ing] contracts for large company mergers all the way down to employee agreements”.
Ms Mitchell said after losing his job, Koningham was “in a dark place” and under “financial stress”.
She said Koningham had “naively” assumed his work through Airtasker would not be considered a legal service and in breach of the law.
However Magistrate Sarah Thompson said as a law student who was only a month away from graduating, Koningham “must have been aware that you were overstepping your boundaries”.
“The idea you would jeopardise your future that you have worked so hard to attain, would seem quite bizarre that you would do that for $600,” she said.
Ms Thompson sentenced Koningham on both charges to pay a single $4000 fine and to pay $750 in legal costs within six months. No conviction was recorded.
While Koningham isn’t barred from being admitted as an Australian lawyer, he must declare this court appearance if he does choose to do so Ms Thomspson added.
It may also affect future travel she said.
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Originally published as University of Queensland law student admits to practising law without a license through online site Airtasker
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