Matthew Laba departs law firm after lack of practising certificate revealed

A Sydney man who acted as a solicitor for at least 11 months while he was not admitted has now departed his former law firm in the wake of stunning revelations he did not have a practising certificate.

Matthew Laba – a junior associate. Photo: LinkedIn

A Sydney man who has been acting as a criminal solicitor for at least 11 months has now departed his law firm after the NSW Law Society confirmed he does not have a practising certificate.

Matthew Laba was acting for Nutrition Station Bondi owner Lucas Azzopardi in a defended hearing on a charge of contravening an apprehended violence order when a NSW Police prosecutor made an allegation Mr Laba was not admitted to practise law.

The hearing at the Downing Centre Local Court before Magistrate Rodney Brender on January 24 ground to a halt as a result of the shock claim.

Azzopardi is not accused of any wrongdoing or having any knowledge of his legal representative’s professional status.

Mr Laba leaving Sutherland Local Court after representing a client in October 2022. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

In a subsequent statement, the NSW Law Society said that according to its register, Mr Laba does not hold a current NSW practising certificate.

Mr Laba has since departed a Sydney law firm, which previously said through a spokesman it had no prior knowledge of the issue.

At a brief mention at the Downing Centre Local Court, Azzopardi’s hearing was adjourned to recommence on September 11 – a seven-month delay, which will also require the complainant to attend court via audiovisual link from overseas as she will be living outside Australia.

The law firm will remain in Azzopardi’s matter when it returns to court.

Mr Laba (left) with Lucas Azzopardi after the revelations about his admission status.

The NSW Law Society has so far declined to comment on any action it may take against Mr Laba in respect of any criminal cases in which he acted while he did not have a practising certificate.

NSW Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions – two prosecuting authorities who handled cases in which Mr Laba acted – have so far declined to comment on the matter.

The University of Notre Dame Australia – where Mr Laba says in an online profile he completed a Bachelor of Laws – also declined to comment.