“Unethical” – Foster’s to block legal aid

Greens Cr Harris was referring to an “unethical” move by the law firm for Foster’s Limited, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, pressuring the Legal Aid Commission to reject legal aid to Darlinghurst resident Matthew Drake-Brockman in late March.

Mr Drake-Brockman, a law student, lodged a lawsuit against Planning Minister Frank Sartor and Foster’s Limited in March. The basis of the legal action is that the concept plan for the Carlton & United Brewery site – which Mr Sartor approved in February – is environmentally unsustainable.

The student has “limited financial means” whilst Foster’s had a turnover of $4.9 billion and a profit of $1.16 billion last year.

“We really need legal aid to come through,” Cr Harris told the SSH. Mr Drake-Brockman has not received funding from the Greens, as incorrectly reported elsewhere. However, Cr Harris – who never voted for the CUB plan – has been his biggest supporter politically and is helping him fundraise.

“Assuming the litigation is run simply and in a timely and professional way, the legal costs might be in the range of $30,000 to $80,000. That is an average of around .004% of Foster’s consolidated net profit in 2006,” Mr Drake-Brockman wrote in a letter to the NSW Law Society. He was requesting that Corrs Chambers

Westgarth be disciplined and counselled about their obligations to society and the rule of law.

At the time of writing, the Legal Services Commissioner had asked for more information to determine whether the law firm had committed “professional misconduct” or “unsatisfactory professional conduct.” The former regards conduct occurring in law and is more serious with disbarment a potential penalty.

Source: South Sydney Herald May 2007 http://www.southsydneyherald.com.au/