The Department again tried to contact Campion, leaving multiple messages at home and at his office but they were ignored.
He was finally contacted in 2014, when he admitted they were overdue.
Two years later he was again phoned by IRD and a meeting was set up for the following month - January 2017 - but the meeting never took place.
Campion was a partner in the Hamilton law firm Tanner Fitzgerald for more than 20 years.
After discussions with IRD prosecutor Daniel Phillips, Campion's lawyer successfully requested a longer adjournment to allow time for reparation to be found.
The matter would be called again in June, with sentencing likely to occur in August.
Campion, who could face jail time, was remanded on bail until June.
The charge carries a maximum prison term of five years or a $50,000 fine.
It's not the first time Campion has got in trouble for not paying his bills.
His failure to refund a client more than $15,000 in 2012 was labelled "ostrich-like" by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal.
He appealed the finding but it was turned down and four years later $2171 was still outstanding.
The tribunal found that he had not "addressed the important professional obligations" that he had in paying the money back.
Not only was he censured and ordered to repay the outstanding money, , he was also ordered to pay costs to the New Zealand Law Society of around $14,000 as well as compensation to his client for incurring legal fees from trying to recoup the outstanding monies.