NSW Is this Tribunal Member Allowed to Call Herself a Lawyer Despite no Current Solicitor or Barrister Registration?

[Ian Curtis]

On her (fiction writing, seriously) website Suzanne Leal calls herself: A lawyer experienced in child protection, criminal law and refugee law, I’m a senior member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and former member of the Refugee Review Tribunal.

And yet she netiher is a registered solicitor nor barrister although she was admitted to the Supreme Court in 1992 (would that have been as a judge?). Maybe she just forgot to update her website.

 

[Docupedia]

Depends on what the NSW act allows, but probably yes. In Queensland, for example, to call yourself a solicitor or a barrister you must have a current practising certificate. However, if you have been admitted to the legal profession but do not have a current practising certificate you may call yourself a lawyer. Yes, it is confusing.