BOROONDARA: Surrey Hills ‘lawyer’ charged


Detectives from the Financial Crime Squad have charged a woman following an investigation into allegations an employee was purporting to be a qualified solicitor without a law degree or an Australian practicing certificate.
A 42-year-old Surrey Hills woman was arrested on Monday morning (Feb. 9) and has since been charged with five counts of obtain financial advantage by deception and prohibition on engaging in legal practice by an unqualified entity.
She was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on February 16.
Police will allege the woman had been practicing unqualified as legal counsel at a number of firms since 2019, receiving over $1.4M in salary.