An Auckland lawyer who misused $600,000 from a law firm has been struck off the roll of barristers and solicitors.
Kenneth Yee misused client funds to the law firm by diverting more than $95,706 of fees to companies he was associated with. He also took $505,155 of fees from the firm's trust account in unauthorised loans to one of his companies.
The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal found that while Mr Yee fully repaid the loans, he has not repaid the $95,706 of fees to his former firm.
The tribunal described Mr Yee's actions as disgraceful and dishonourable in the eyes of lawyers, and a wilful or reckless contravention of the trust accounting regulations.
New Zealand Law Society national prosecutions manager Mark Treleaven said the misuse of client funds held by lawyers would always be unacceptable.
