A lawyer who pleaded guilty to two counts of professional misconduct and unsatisfactory professional behaviour has been given 14 days to pay $3,700 or his practicing certificate will be suspended.

Lawyer Sheik Hussein Shah had earlier admitted to two charges against him and has also been found guilty by the Independent Legal Services Commission while three separate charges have been dismissed by Commissioner John Connors yesterday afternoon.

Shah admitted that in September 2006, a sum of $105,000 was deposited into his firm's Trust Account and when he made the payment to the claimant to a sum of $35,000 the cheque was dishonoured.

On this count, Commissioner Connors ordered that Shah pay $1000 in fines and $610 in costs to the Chief Registrar within 14 days.

Shah also admitted to two counts of misconduct for a case he handled in 2003 where he failed to reasonably inform his client on the progress of the case and had deliberately delayed the progress of the matter in the High Court.

For this offence, Shah has been ordered to pay $500 to the Commission and $500 to the Chief Registrar and an additional $144 to the complainant within 14 days.

Shah was also found guilty of failing to appear for a client who had paid him $400 in a criminal case and in this regard he is to pay $750 to the Commission and $250 to the complainant within 14 days.

Commissioner Connors stressed that in the event the monies ordered to be paid is not paid in the stipulated time, Shah's practicing certificate will be suspended.

Meanwhile, six other complaints against Shah were dismissed by the Commissioner.