Zelda Venter|Updated44 minutes agoLegal Practice Council recommends suspension for lawyer linked to class action against banks

Lawyer Douglas Shaw leaving the Johannesburg High Court during the hearing in February. The Gauteng arm of the Legal Practice Council’s (LPC) is of the opinion that lawyer Douglas Shaw not only brought the legal profession into disrepute but committed a criminal offence when he appeared in the High Court without a Fidelity Fund Certificate. The Investigating Committee of the LPC, after investigating the matter, recommended that an urgent application be brought to suspend Shaw from the roll of legal practitioners.In a report filed with the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, Gauteng director of the LPC, Ignatius Briel, said the fact that Shaw has tried to rectify “his transgressions” after the fact does not assist him as the “offending conduct” is a matter of public record.

The Investigating Committee of the LPC, after investigating the matter, recommended that an urgent application be brought to suspend Shaw from the roll of legal practitioners. In a report filed with the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, Gauteng director of the LPC, Ignatius Briel, said the fact that Shaw has tried to rectify “his transgressions” after the fact does not assist him as the “offending conduct” is a matter of public record. The report by the LPC followed an order delivered by Judge Leonie Windell in February, which was due to be the start of a week-long session to hear arguments as to whether hundreds of applicants could certify a class action against the major banks.

At the start of the proceedings, one of thebanks dropped the proverbial bombthat a whistleblower revealed that Shaw does not have a Fidelity Fund Certificate.This hearing was set down after nearly six years of preparation for the case, in which the applicants claim that they had previously lost their homes at the hands of the banks in cases where this drastic step was not necessary. At the start of the proceedings, one of thebanks dropped the proverbial bombthat a whistleblower revealed that Shaw does not have a Fidelity Fund Certificate. This hearing was set down after nearly six years of preparation for the case, in which the applicants claim that they had previously lost their homes at the hands of the banks in cases where this drastic step was not necessary. Others complained that they were severely shortchanged as their homes were sold for far below their market price to recover outstanding debt.