Michael Brian Meyrick has been suspended from practising as a barrister and solicitor for two years.

The suspension has been imposed by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal and is effective from 3 May 2018. Mr Meyrick has retired from legal practice.

On 3 May the Tribunal found Mr Meyrick guilty of two charges of misconduct. It found that he had failed to comply with fines and costs orders made by lawyers standards committees and the Legal Complaints Review Officer and had made a false declaration to the New Zealand Law Society about his compliance with those fines and costs orders.

In deciding to suspend Mr Meyrick, the Tribunal said the responsibility of legal practitioners to cooperate with their disciplinary body is a fundamental one.

"A failure to do so, which is wilful and reckless, has to be regarded seriously such that a period of suspension is the starting point for the consideration of penalty."

It said Mr Meyrick had not advanced any material matters in mitigation. Rather, he had repeated his bitter views of the Law Society and his view that the Tribunal did not give him a fair hearing.

"We consider that a period of suspension is required. We have stopped short of making an order striking his name off the roll of barristers and solicitors. He has retired from practice and does not present a danger to the public."

As well as the order for suspension, the Tribunal ordered Mr Meyrick to pay costs of $12,688.39 to the New Zealand Law Society.