1,462 complaints against lawyers remain unresolved

About 1462 complaints against lawyers remain unresolved before the Legal Practitioners Unit.

This is a concern against lawyers failing to fulfil their responsibilities to clients.

High Court of Fiji chief registrar Tomasi Bainivalu has urged lawyers to uphold honesty, integrity and accountability, warning that clients continue to suffer when legal practitioners fail to honour their commitments.

Speaking at the Fiji Law Society Convention 2026 in Nadi on Friday, Mr Bainivalu said 4283 complaints had been recorded against legal practitioners between 2009 and 2026.

Of these, 2771 had been resolved, while 1462 remained outstanding.

“Be truthful to your clients. There are several complaints that are coming out of us,” he said.

“Promises have been given to these clients. Legal fees are being paid, but we fail to fulfil responsibilities laid on our shoulders as lawyers.”

Mr Bainivalu said the complaints highlighted the need for lawyers to return to the fundamental values of their profession.

He said professional misconduct and unfulfilled promises had left clients dissatisfied, stressing the importance of restoring public confidence in the legal profession.

Mr Bainivalu called for greater use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), particularly mediation, to reduce court backlogs and improve access to justice.

He revealed that between 2015 and 2025, 387 matters were referred for mediation.

Of these, 156 were successfully settled, representing a settlement rate of 40.31 per cent.

A further 207 cases were unsuccessful, while 24 remained pending.