Sharon Johal was dumped from her first legal firm in 2009

Controversial reality TV contestant Sharon Johal is facing scrutiny over accusations of forgery and plagiarism from her lawyer past.

Controversial Block contestant Sharon Johal is being haunted by accusations of forgery and plagiarism from her lawyer past as she shapes up as the villain of this year’s hit show.

Johal has claimed she is the target of a “campaign to attack my integrity” because of the way she is being edited on the reality renovation series that is drawing about 1.6 million viewers per episode.

Her claims come as it can be revealed that Johal, 38, was dumped from her first legal firm in 2009 and taken to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal by the Legal Services Commissioner for professional misconduct.

The charge related to her forging a medical certificate in 2009. She was sacked from the firm after the doctored document was discovered and was reported to the Legal Services Commissioner. She quickly found employment at another firm.

The Block contestants Ankur Dogra and Sharon Johal. Picture: Channel 9

Johal pleaded guilty to professional misconduct and was reprimanded and fined $3500.

In the reasons given by then deputy VCAT president Michael Macnamara for reaching his decision in April 2011 about the fine and reprimand, it was revealed that Johal’s “admission to practice was attended by one or two hiccups. These related to allegations of plagiarism in reference to a non-assessable project submitted by her to the College of Law in the course of her training. Ultimately the Board of Examiners determined that she should be admitted.”

It was noted that Johal was dealing with “serious personal difficulties following the break-up of a long-term relationship” when she took the day off work in 2009. Johal also alleged that she was bullied and harassed at her former workplace.

Johal’s forging of the certificate was described as “very serious.”

Johal pleaded guilty to professional misconduct. Picture: Channel 9

“Integrity is of the first and most indispensable necessity for a legal practitioner,” Macnamara wrote.

“The forgery of any document clearly is a grave offence against that obligation of integrity and honesty. … The forging of any document is the start of a slippery slope. A medical certificate today, letters of administration tomorrow. In its disciplinary role the legal system cannot trivialise or wink at any sort of forgery whatsoever.”

Johal said she had “paid dearly” for making a “regrettable mistake” in doctoring the medical certificate.

“It takes some skill to dig this up from well over a decade ago and is something that happened in the infancy of my career,” Johal said.

“Like many young people I made a regrettable mistake in a challenging work environment and paid dearly for it. This targeted campaign to attack my integrity as a result of my current character portrayal on the Block has resulted in threats and racial hatred towards me and my family and has taken a significant toll.”

Johal has claimed she is receiving the ‘villain edit’ on The Block this year and has taken to social media to call out people making vile, horrid and abusive threats towards her on social media.