OPINIONby Tim O’Dwyer M.A., LL.BSolicitorConsumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au (Following on from “Licensed Conveyancer Corruption Must Be Stopped“, Tim O’Dwyer reports on a lawyer conveyancer’s attempt to attract referrals from real estate agents. Readers are also referred to Tim’s posting Catch 32 On Solicitors’ Independence regarding estate agent referrals to lawyers.) After the principal of a small suburban law firm sent an email touting his services to several real estate agents, one agent passed it on to...
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OPINIONby Peter Mericka B.A., LL.BReal Estate LawyerQualified Practising Conveyancer VictoriaDirector Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd An Appeal To The Australian Institute Of Conveyancers (Victorian Division) (AICVIC) The Australian Institute of Conveyancers (Victorian Division) Inc. (AICVIC) regards itself as the peak body representing licensed conveyancers in the state of Victoria, and it appears to have some influence over the way in which Victoria’s licensed conveyancers conduct themselves. I now make this plea to the new...
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by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.BReal Estate LawyerConveyancerConsumer Advocatepeter@lawyersconveyancing.com.au I have discussed the way in which payments to estate agents can become illegal secret commissions if they are not disclosed, and how the disclosure of payments tends to work against the purpose of the payments. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, I assume that any payments or gifts made by Richard Wood Solicitors to Barry Plant Real Estate’s estate agents, or any other...
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by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.BReal Estate LawyerConveyancerConsumer Advocatepeter@lawyersconveyancing.com.au In the absence of evidence to the contrary, we must assume that Richard Wood Solicitors and Barry Plant Real Estate have done everything the law requires of them in relation to gifts offered to estate agents in return for client referrals. But does it make sense for a lawyer or conveyancer to offer gifts to estate agents if legal compliance makes the whole exercise a waste...
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by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.BReal Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer VictoriaDirector Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd This is a comment submitted in response to the previous posting on this site. While I cannot help but be annoyed about the apparent weakness (personal and professional) of the lawyer who expresses it, it does seem to sum up the situation: “While I am proud to confirm that I am a legal practitioner, I cannot identify myself...
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by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.BReal Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer VictoriaDirector Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd On 3 August, 2007 I published a posting titled “Richard Wood Solicitors – Gifts To Agents For Client Referrals“. On 13 August, 2007 a person identified only as “David” posted the first of a number of comments attacking me personally on the basis of my ethics. The attack would have been unremarkable, except for the fact that the estate...
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by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.BReal Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer VictoriaDirector Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd Richard Wood Solicitors is Melbourne Law firm. In 1998 a letter was sent to a local estate agent by this law firm, offering free gifts in return for conveyancing “referrals”. I received a copy of the letter because the estate agent to whom it was addressed saw an opportunity to make money from local lawyers and conveyancers by...
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