14 Dec 2022

Anti-vax lawyer Sue Grey expected to face disciplinary tribunal

4:38 pm on 14 December 2022
Lawyer Sue Grey, who is acting for the Society for the Protection of Aotea Community and Ecology Incorporated (SPACE), and Kelly Klink.

Lawyer Sue Grey has been a prominent anti-vaccination activist. Photo: RNZ / Michael Cropp

Prominent anti-vaccination lawyer Sue Grey is expected to face charges soon by the group which oversees lawyers' conduct.

In September 2021, Glenn Jeffrey laid a complaint with the Law Society about Grey's conduct after she made a Facebook post linking the death of a teenager with the Covid-19 vaccine.

Jeffrey said he had no connection with the teen's family but was appalled at what he saw as cruelty towards them.

Jeffrey said he was told the complaint had been put aside as the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal was looking at wider issues regarding Grey's conduct, and was recently told that charges are imminent.

Grey was not able to be reached for a response.

The Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal said it does not have a file on Grey.

The New Zealand Law Society said it is prevented by section 188 of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 from commenting on whether it has received a complaint, or any details of concerns or any complaints raised with it.

A spokesperson for the society said that if a lawyer was the subject of a complaint, a Standards Committee would examine and decide whether the lawyer's conduct was unsatisfactory.

In some cases, the conduct may be so serious as to warrant a referral to the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal.

Any decision by a Standards Committee can be appealed to the Legal Complaints Review Officer at the Ministry of Justice for a determination.

The Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal are independent of the New Zealand Law Society and are administered by the Ministry of Justice.

The spokesperson said the society expected all lawyers to adhere to all the professional rules set for them.

Grey was briefly taken into police custody this week after being accused of contempt of court.

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