Allegations are flying that former Baldwins Intellectual Property CEO, Michael Vukcevic lied in his CV and does not, in fact, have a law degree.
Vukcevic resigned from the practice in November last year, with a press release stating that he stepped down “for personal reasons”.
However, an investigation by the
New Zealand Herald claims the real reason Vukcevic left was that colleagues became suspicious of his purported legal qualifications and launched an internal investigation into his academic background. The investigation found that Vukcevic had not completed the legal qualification he claimed he had when applying for the position.
However, a Newstalk ZB report quotes former National Party president, Michelle Boag, who says the article is nothing more than a ‘smear campaign’ against Vukcevic.
Boag is an advisor at the Middle East Business Council, of which Vukcevic is a member. She’s told reporters she believes somebody has a ‘grudge’ against Vukcevic and that there was a ‘typo’ on his CV which is now being used against him.
"As I understand it, he should have had the word 'incomplete' next to LLB. Having said that, I don't know why it wasn't there."
NZ Lawyer contacted Baldwins for comment but the firm was unable to meet today’s deadline.
Alison Munro, an administration manager at Victoria University, confirmed in an email to the
New Zealand Herald that Vukcevic only completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Economic History, granted in December 1993.
"Mr Vukcevic has not completed a Bachelor of Laws at
Victoria University of Wellington," said Munro.
Baldwins is one of New Zealand’s leading intellectual property practices with fourteen specialist teams covering areas ranging from nano-technology to agricultural chemicals.
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