Former high-flying Perth lawyer has successfully fought his practice ban.
Lloyd Rayney, formally a prominent Perth barrister, has won the right to resume his legal career after he was accused of intentionally disposing dictaphones relevant to a police investigation into the death of his wife.
Rayney, who was also accused of murdering his wife back in 2007, gave an undertaking he would not practise law while there were criminal proceedings against him. But after he was cleared of all charges, the Legal Practice Board cancelled his practice certificate.
Yesterday, Rayney was found to be a fit and proper person to practise law by a Perth judge.
“Like anybody else, it would be nice to be able to earn a living,” Rayney told reporters outside the State Administrative Tribunal.
But his lawyer, Martin Bennett, said the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia could appeal against the decision and attempt to strip Rayney of his right to practise law during the defamation case he was brought against the West Australian government.
“Every time a charge has been made against Lloyd — be it criminal charge or now this attempt to prove criminal conduct to a civil standard — it’s failed,” Bennett said.
“He’s innocent and he’s been acquitted yet again.”
Rayney is still in the process of suing the state of a statement made by a police officer during a press conference where reporters were told Rayney was the only suspect and the prime person of interest. The couple was living together with their two daughters but in the process of separating.
