Auckland lawyer Michael Rawiri Taia has been fined $1,500 by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal after being found guilty of misconduct.

He has also been ordered to pay or refund total costs of $13,426 to the New Zealand Law Society and to undergo a term of supervision of 12 months commencing from 10 September 2018.

Mr Taia failed to comply with a lawyers standards committee order to refund monies to former clients and failed to comply with written requests from clients to uplift documents and records held on their behalf.

The Tribunal said his offending had fallen below the standard that a member of the public is entitled to expect.

The supervision order requires Mr Taia to meet monthly in person with the designated lawyer, who has been given a wide-ranging brief to discuss all files and aspects of Mr Taia's practice. The lawyer is required to file a written report after each meeting with the New Zealand Law Society.