News from the broom cupboard

Shake-out of former Keddies' partners at Slater & Gordon … ACT bar breaches suppression order 

A year after the $35 million acquisition of their firm, Russell Keddie and Tony Barakat have departed Slater & Gordon while Scott Roulstone has been shuffled into a special projects broom cupboard. 

This has occured as the three former partners face contempt of court proceedings for allegedly breaching orders not to approach clients who are suing them in the District Court. 

See previous instalment of Goings On …  

Slater & Gordon told Justinian: 

"Tony Barakat has, after considerable reflection, decided to resign his employment with Slater & Gordon." 

There was no expression of sadness at Tony's departure or the great contribution he made to the publicly listed law shop. 

A quick check of the NSW Law Society's web site shows that Tony has fetched-up at something called Barton Lawyers.  

However, there is no listing on the Law Soc registry for a firm of that name. 

S & G's spinner also told us: 

"Scott Roulstone remains employed by Slater & Gordon. He has recently moved on from his position as practice group leader at the Redfern office and will now work from the Sydney office on specific business development projects." 

As for Rustling Russell Keddie, his relationship with S & G ended late last year, after "assisting in the transition". 

There'll be more on Friday after Justice Michael Adams considers the application by the Keddies Kiddies to discharge himself from hearing the contempt case against them. 

*   *   * 

Field agents in Canberra report that just before Christmas the ACT Bar Association issued an alarming and urgent message to members. 

"The CEO and editor of the Bar Bulletin recall the publication issued Friday, 16 December which contained the name of a person under a suppression order. The error was unintended. Please ensure the suppression order is adhered to. 

Attached you will find an amended version of the December 2011 edition."  

No doubt members then busily compared the two editions of the organ to discover the precise details of the breached suppression order. 

It has to be assumed that contempt proceedings will be instituted by the DPP, Jon White, who also authored an article on suspended sentences for the offending issue of the Bulletin. 

If the local bar 'n' grill can't get it right what hope is there for courtroom hacks? 

In fact, the last time the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics analysed the cause of jury discharges it was discovered that prejudice arising from media reporting was the least likely reason for the apple cart to be upset.  

Up the top of the pile of trial aborters were barristers' submissions and judges's summings-up.