Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Samoa Law Society looks into complaints about NZ-based member

Posted at 04:41 on 30 October, 2008 UTC

Samoa’s Law Society is to appoint members of a disciplinary committee to look into two complaints made about one of its member, New Zealand based Samoan lawyer, Leulua’ialii Olinda Woodroffe.

The committee is to make preliminary inquiries Leulua’ialii whose ethical and professional conduct has been questioned.

According to the Law Society’s president, Jerry Brunt, the two complaints were lodged separately and directly to the organisation.

Leulua’ialii was recently charged by police with two counts of using insulting words against several employees of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration.

The Law Society president says the disciplinary committee will advise the council whether formal proceedings of a disciplinary nature are warranted.

The society was established under the Law Practitioners Act of 1976 and is a self-regulating body with its standards designed to underscore the fact that lawyers belong to a profession and that the ethical standards are ultimately for the benefit of the public in general.