Alexander Pinnock, Alec Stuart: Alleged NSW ‘fake lawyer’ pursued in civil action in Queensland
A man charged with impersonating a lawyer in NSW is now under investigation in Queensland, as law societies in three states and the American Bar now refute his claims he is a solicitor.
Police & Courts
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A NSW man charged with impersonating a lawyer is now under the microscope in Queensland, where it is alleged he was also attempting to practice with a falsified NSW certificate.
Alexander Pinnock, 33, has been charged by the Law Society of NSW with five counts of being an unqualified person advertising they could engage in legal practice and one count of engaging in legal practice when he was not qualified.
Pinnock – also known as Alec Stuart and Alec Anton Stuart – is alleged to have advertised himself as a South Australian lawyer and a “partner” at “Sydney Lawyers”, as well as appearing in a matter Coffs Harbour Local Court on May 17, 2022 when he was not qualified.
He is now under investigation in Queensland, as records and statements appear to indicate he is not qualified to practise in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria or the United States – contrary to claims made on various profiles attributed to him in court documents.
Queensland’s Legal Services Commissioner has now filed an application to the Supreme Court, seeking to prevent Pinnock from practising law after he allegedly attempted to use a fake NSW practising certificate to gain admission to the Queensland Law Society.
Documents submitted in support of the injunction allege Pinnock has created 12 online profiles and three Australian Company Numbers – one of which has eight different business names – in his efforts to present himself as a qualified, admitted lawyer.
The online profiles cited in the Queensland documents include a LinkedIn for Alec Anton Stuart, a “partner at Sydney Lawyers” who is a practising member of the Law Society of NSW, the Law Institute Victoria and the American Bar Association.
The NSW court documents allege Pinnock – aka Stuart – is not and has never been admitted or qualified anywhere in Australia, and in a statement the American Bar Association said no-one named Alexander Pinnock or Alec Stuart was registered with them.
A website for “South Australian lawyer Alec Stuart” was also cited in the NSW court documents – but Law Society of South Australia president James Marsh said there was no record of Pinnock or Stuart.
“There are no South Australian practising certificate holders with the any of the names attributed to the person in question, and no record of anyone with any of those names being admitted to practice in SA,” Mr Marsh stated.
“It is an offence for an unqualified person to practise the law or hold themselves out as a lawyer.”
In a personal Facebook profile cited in both the NSW and Queensland court documents, Alec Stuart refers to an appearance in Coffs Harbour Local Court which is now the subject of one NSW charge of appearing as a lawyer while unqualified.
“First mention at Coffs Harbour Local Court this morning and was a tad nervous,” Stuart writes.
“All in good fun, at least I was first at the bar table and out of there at 9:45am!”
Another profile on online business directory Bark, for Alec Stuart, has a range of reviews variously praising him and describing him as “absolutely fraudulent”.
“He is not a lawyer,” Mark Stubbs wrote.
“Takes money and pretends to be acting on your behalf … even though I’ve stupidly paid out $500 before realising the scam, at least this doesn’t break my bank … others it may hurt a lot.”
A man named Paul Borg wrote: “Alec Stuart isn’t a lawyer … he takes your money and does a runner … he works in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, he has left our lives in a mess.”
However, there are two complimentary reviews from “Layla McKinnon” and “Martin Saccs” – sharing close similarities in name with Nine Network broadcaster Leila McKinnon and former Blue Heelers actor Martin Sacks.
“Excellent service, Alec provided excellent information and undertook most of the work which saved me thousands. Would absolutely recommend,” “Martin Saccs” wrote.
Pinnock is next due at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on March 21, and at Queensland Supreme Court on March 31.
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