By Staff Writer
The Disciplinary Tribunal of the Samoa Law Society has ruled to suspend for 2 years as official punishment, prominent barrister and solicitor, Maiava Visekota Peteru.
The ruling dealt with the complaints to the Law Society by two of the lawyer’s clients over matters related to the use of trust funds.
The Samoa Law Society suspended Maiava on 29 March 2019 to allow for the Complaints Investigation Committee to examine the allegations.
Her initial two year suspension runs out next year
The Tribunal ruling allows Maiava to return to her profession as a legal practitioner next year on 29 March 2021, after taking into consideration the ‘current time spend on suspension to be deducted…”
But before returning to work, she has to “undertake and complete to Councils satisfaction a Training on Managing Trust Funds ‘ and pay costs of $2,000 to the Samoa Law Society.
Her trust account is also ‘ to be audited annually by a chartered accountant.’
