A senior Auckland lawyer has been found guilty of five charges including misconduct and incompetence after charging a couple embroiled in a leaky home dispute more than $1 million.
The Lawyers and Conveyances Tribunal said Eion Castles' billing practices were disgraceful, deplorable and repugnant.
The couple, known as Mr and Mrs W, had to borrow from friends and family and sell their home to pay the bill.
Two senior lawyers who reviewed Mr Castles' rates found he should have charged about $460,000 for his services but instead his bill came in at more than $1.1 million.
The tribunal also found Mr Castles breached client privilege when he told a relative of the couple about their ill-health. It said it was likely he did this to encourage the relative to lend money to the couple so he would have his bill paid.
The fate of the lawyer's 41-year career will be decided at a disciplinary hearing in February.
