A partner at Allens Linklaters has been investigated for fraudulent time recording. But he's been spared the potentially career-limiting move of being reported to the regulator.

The partner in the Melbourne office was investigated by the firm's internal professional conduct committee. A source says that the investigation took six months, with several lawyers giving evidence against the partner. Despite this he was not reported to the Legal Practitioners Conduct Board. The internal committee was apparently unable categorically to prove his guilt as it applied a 100% conclusive standard which was not met.

    A lucky escape yesterday

A spokesman for the firm acknowledged that "an investigation was conducted recently into a time recording issue. That investigation was thorough and applied appropriate standards having regard to our professional obligations." He added that RollOnFriday's "understanding is wrong in a number of significant respects", but that "the firm does not consider it appropriate to go into detail or make any other comment." Which is jolly convenient.

The spokesman added that Allens Linklaters "upholds the highest ethical standards and takes any complaint relating to ethical behaviour most seriously. The firm has thorough processes for handling such complaints. As you would expect, these processes observe strict confidentiality in order to encourage people to come forward if they have issues which concern them."

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Comments

Anonymous 06 June 14 01:25

Would presume since he was in Melbourne it would be the Victorian Law Soc, rather than South Australia he'd have been reported to, or not!

Anonymous 06 June 14 15:16

Would be interested to note whether the firm felt it was approprite to refund or credit client for any "questionable" time recorded on their matters.

Anonymous 06 June 14 17:27

Could it be that he was not reported to the South Australia Legal Practitioners Conduct Board because Melbourne is in Victoria, not in South Australia...?

Anonymous 09 June 14 04:33

Really? Allens don't have an office in Adelaide so why would the partner concerned be reported to the South Australia Legal Practitioners Conduct Board? Something seems a bit off there.

Anonymous 12 June 14 18:06

amazing someone from the melbourne office was at risk of being reported to a regulator in another state.....