The Acting Chief Registrar has stressed that all complaints against lawyers will be dealt with swiftly to ensure that lawyers are held accountable for any breaches of their legal oaths.

Speaking to Fijivillage, Ana Rokomokoti said it is in the public interest that complaints do not pile up and the general public is left waiting for an outcome as they pay money for legal advice and representation.

Rokomokoti also stressed that lawyers, who are not adhering to their oaths and are trying to cheat their clients out of money, will be taken to task and their practicing certificates will be revoked.

This comes as the Office of the Chief Registrar has now started scrutinizing the 283 complaints lodged against lawyers dating back to 2000 which were pending before the Fiji Law Society for action.

The complaints against lawyers include malpractice, misconduct, deliberate attempts to delay cases, trust fund account violations, incompetence, negligence, discrepancy with costs charged to clients, failure to follow clients instructions and failure to communicate with clients.