Lawyers should be drug tested: QC

[Jess Stone]

Lawyers should be drug tested: QC

 

A prominent Melbourne lawyer says there is a drug problem in the legal profession and random drug testing should be introduced.

 

Melbourne QC and former chairman of the National Crime Authority, Peter Faris, says he has information suggesting there is a drug problem in the legal profession in Victoria and NSW.

 

"The information I get from other lawyers, and anecdotally, is that there has been quite a problem with high flyers in the legal profession in NSW and Victoria using cocaine for a number of years," Mr Faris told ABC Radio.

 

Mr Faris said he had seen the effect of drugs on some lawyers he had faced across the bar in court.

 

"They don't look well, they're sweaty, they seem to be hyped up," he said.

 

"Over a number of days, their behaviour is erratic.

 

"Some days you can talk to them and they're normal and sensible. Other days they're quite unreasonable."

 

Mr Faris said there should be random drug testing of lawyers like those already in place for AFL footballers.

 

But Victorian Bar Council chairman Michael Shand, QC, said Mr Faris's claims could not be substantiated.

 

"These comments from Mr Faris are a nonsense," Mr Shand said.

 

"They're extreme and unsubstantiated.

 

"The Bar Council's vigilant to maintain the highest standards of practice at the bar.

 

"We're a delegate of the legal service board and we have the power to suspend or cancel practising certificates if circumstances require it.

 

"But no such case of drug use has come before the council during my time on it."

 

AAP

 

source SMH online

 

Aye carumba ,this is how you go about making friends and gaining respect from your work colleagues or maybe inspiring your fellow workmates to pitch in and through their clients connections get you fitted out for a new pair of shoes ,special shoes , concrete ones BTW HaHaHaHaHa to the legal profession further BTW why not judges and cops and POLITICIANS for drug testing(alcohol and prescription drugs too) as well ! You Test First