Former lawyer Patrick Lennon cited for professional misconduct

VCAT has handed down its ruling against an embattled ex-lawyer cited for professional misconduct after he sent threatening messages to a witness in a legal proceeding.

Disgraced ex-lawyer Patrick Lennon has been reprimanded for professional misconduct after he sent threatening messages to a witness in a court proceeding. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

A troubled former Melbourne lawyer who sent threatening text messages to a witness in a legal proceeding has been reprimanded.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has recommended Patrick Lennon’s name be removed from the Supreme Court roll on a charge of professional misconduct.

It comes as Mr Lennon sent a series of text messages to Dimitrios Podaridis who was a proposed witness in a County Court proceeding in July 2020 associated with the recovery of debts owed to Mr Lennon’s former legal practice.

VCAT has recommended that ex-lawyer Pat Lennon’s name be removed from the Supreme Court roll for professional misconduct Picture: David Crosling

VCAT member Reynah Tang said in an email to the tribunal, Mr Lennon described the disciplinary proceeding as a “witch hunt and of no utility”.

He said the pursuit of the matter was “nonsense” or “scandalous” in circumstances where he was no longer practising and that attempts by the Victoria Legal Services Commissioner to contact him about the proceeding involved harassment.

Mr Tang said the integrity of a witness’s evidence from influence or corruption was fundamental and Mr Lennon’s attempts to dissuade Mr Podaridis from testifying by making threats was a basic error of judgment that clearly established that he was not a fit and proper person to practice law.