‘Lost his career, firm, reputation’: Brisbane lawyer loses right to practise

A Brisbane lawyer who lost his career, firm, and reputation has been declared permanently unfit to practise, and his name has been struck off the roll of solicitors.

The latest update to Neil Lawler’s legal career was handed down by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal last week. It centred on a range of offending, including Lawler appearing drunk in court and recording a roadside breath test more than five times the legal limit.

Lawler, who became a lawyer in 1998 and held his practising certificate until 2020, was a partner of former Brisbane firm Lawler Magill, which was raided by the Queensland Corruption Commission in 2018.

Former Brisbane lawyer Neil Lawler.

According to documents before QCAT, he appeared for a client in court in 2020, was observed to be red and flushed, unsteady on his feet, and there was a smell of liquor in the courtroom during the incident.

After the sentence, Lawler left the court, returned to his vehicle, and was intercepted by police. His roadside blood-alcohol reading was 0.27 per cent, which is in the high range.

He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and 100 hours of community service.

At his sentencing, he represented himself and provided misleading information, either knowingly or recklessly, according to QCAT’s findings. He claimed he had returned to his vehicle to charge his phone and had no intention of driving.

“To date, [Lawler] has taken no steps to correct the misleading statements he made to the Magistrates Court on March 5, 2020,” the QCAT documents state.

The Legal Services Commission then launched an investigation into Lawler and sent him a show-cause notice to prove he was still fit to practise.

Lawler failed to be open and frank about his conduct, according to the documents.

He lost his career, firm and reputation, and he suffered public shaming and humiliation as a result of his conduct and the disciplinary charges, the documents say. Lawler was said to have expressed remorse and shame for his conduct.

But his actions were described as repeated offending, and QCAT member Duncan McMeekin ruled him unfit to practise.

McMeekin said Lawler’s actions were very much explained by his alcoholism.

“The psychiatrists explain that [Lawler] has an alcohol-use disorder for which he has long sought treatment.

“He accepts that his rehabilitation from his disorder is ongoing.

“As the evidence presently stands, he is unfit to practise.”

It was ordered that Lawler’s name be removed from the roll, and that he pay the cost of the disciplinary applications put forward by the Legal Services Commissioner.

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