10 Sep 2007

Fiji Law Society names Tevita Fa as Legal Practitioner of 2006

10:43 am on 10 September 2007

The Fiji Law Society has named the deposed prime minister's lawyer, Tevita Fa, as the Legal Practitioner of the Year for 2006.

But Fiji TV reports that the award has generated controversy because Mr Fa was disciplined and fined almost 4,700 US dollars by the Law Society last year for failing to deliver services for which he had already been paid.

Fellow lawyer Rajendra Chaudhry has raised concerns about the integrity of the Law Society Council, saying it had not consulted members of the society over the award.

Mr Chaudhry is questioning how Mr Fa could be given the award for the same year in which he was disciplined and fined.

Mr Fa admits he was disciplined but says he had complied with all the instructions given to him by the Society.