The High Court has allowed, in part, an appeal by Keith Jefferies against a New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal decision to suspend him from practice for six months.

Justice Williams has substituted an order suspending Mr Jefferies from legal practice for four months from 2 August 2017.

In his appeal, Mr Jefferies submitted that a penalty short of suspension should have been imposed.

Mr Jefferies faced a charge of having been convicted of offences punishable by imprisonment which tends to bring the legal profession into disrepute. He had pleaded guilty and been convicted in the District Court after being found in possession of methamphetamine.

Justice Williams found that in light of the circumstances the minimum credible suspension was called for, as any longer period would threaten unnecessarily Mr Jefferies’ rehabilitation.

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