Saturday, October 13, 2012

Questions, please, for Slater & Gordon

THE GREAT BUNYIP has an exquisite sense of timing. Today in the newspapers it emerges that Slater & Gordon no longer knows where files relating to an infamous real estate transaction can be found. Phhttt! They're gone.

And what has He arranged for two Thursdays hence?

Why,  Slater & Gordon's annual general meeting, where the directors will be available for questioning about many things, quite possibly including interesting documents and files that may have been dropped down the back of filing cabinets (entirely by accident, of course).

S&G is a publicly listed company whose stock has done rather well of late. It also boasts some rather prominent names on its board.

Ian Court - Non Executive Director, Erica Lane - Non Executive Director, John Skippen - Non Executive Director - Acting Chair, Ken Fowlie - Executive Director, Andrew Grech - Managing Director, Wayne Brown - Chief Financial Officer / Joint Company Secretary,  Kirsten Morrison - Company Secretary & Corporate Counsel

The AGM is to begin at 2.30pm, October 25, on the 12th floor of S&G headquarters, 485 LaTrobe Street.

It could be a lot of fun to turn up, take in the action and, perhaps, to put a question of two


26 comments:

  1. Can you turn up without being a shareholder? Hmmm it is a rather interesting idea! I might just go for the hell of it :) Thanks for the heads up...

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    1. One supposes one may buy a small tranche of shares in S&G (like two shares) & thus become a shareholder? Just a suggestion.

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    2. True. But the thought of putting any money no matter how small in an ambulance chasing union loving outfit does make one cringe.

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  2. Perhaps Michael Smith could help them.He certainly seems to have a fine collection of material on the subject,

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    1. I think that may have the board running for the door a lot faster than Tony Abbott did :)

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  3. You might be better off buying a single share. That means you can definitely attends and ask questions. Please do this.

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  4. Legal Practice rules require retention of files for 7 years. May be neither more nor less sinister than that. (Secretly hope it's more, though.)

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  5. Fear not Prof.
    The original file may have been "Sir Humphried" but I suspect some prudent former officer of Slugs and Bugs may have taken an insurance copy.
    This person - possibly now residing in another of Her Majesty's dominions - may be drip-feeding details to one of the ever-growing army of mysoginists.
    Why, he (and I feel sure it is a"he") might even have had his career curtailed by a spurious claim of "sexism and mysoginy" and feels it is time for a square-off.

    The Irish Lion

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    1. Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.October 13, 2012 at 10:41 PM

      Indeed, Sir Lion. Plots could thicken nicely with some special maple syrup.

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  6. I remember reading that when the Julia was dropped like a hot potato from Slater & Gordon, the AWU file was transferred to Maurice Blackburn and Nicola Roxon took over the AWU legal work .. maybe this file went to Maurice Blackburn ... why doesn't someone ask them if they have it? Or ask Nicola Roxon what she did with it?

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  7. Might just go and buy some shares in S&G, gives you entry into possibly the best show in town.

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  8. You would need to be a shareholder, you'd only need to buy a couple of hundred bucks worth which you could sell for a tax loss following the meeting. I think we can expect them to be around for you to close out the transaction. Trying the same thing with Fairfax stock would be a truly risky proposition.

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  9. Neither Giddings or Gillard have children. Do these people really represent the interests of normal Australians? No way.

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  10. I see that S&G are hiding behind the "defamation threat" to avoid any criticism.
    Apparently they forget that solicitors are officers of the court and it is a criminal offence to conceal a crime.

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  11. We're counting onya, B. Go for it, please.

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  12. No point asking about what happened, it will all be denied. Someone just needs to ask why they aren't suing or seeking orders stopping the publication of lies about what their partner JG did. It's obviously affecting the reputation of the company and thus it's performance.

    If it's not lies, or they can't be sure, the board probably needs to make a statement so investors can make an informed decision about their stake in the company. Any proven allegations of impropriety will certainly affect the share price of a listed law firm.

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  13. Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.October 13, 2012 at 6:48 PM

    Out of town then, I think, Prof. But I do hope some avid questionners arrive and create.

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  14. That's quite a magic trick. You must remember that it's always important to engage in small talk while a trick is being prepared. It's just a shame high flyers don't wear Top Hats anymore otherwise they would have the airs of being a real magician.

    Joel

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  15. I would advise shareholders to get there early. I doubt the area set aside for the AGM will be large enough for those attending.Standing room only.

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  16. Why not just ask the WA government department responsible to provide copies of this correspondence? Surely they keep these records too.

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    1. I believe no hard-copy Govt documents/ correspondence are destroyed until they are digitally archived. I'm sure someone has already made FOI requests to the WA Govt for all documents relating to the registration of the entity and subsidiary correspondence.

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  17. The Old and Unimproved DaveOctober 14, 2012 at 2:45 PM

    I'm sure the S&G just can't wait to re-employ Julia once she's done with Prime Ministering the joint.

    After all, after her previous stint, she left all her assignments as right as Rainman.....

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  18. I have made enquires and been told that law firms have to keep client records for 7 years although most seem to keep them for longer than that. S&G will have that avenue of escape. I hope that they have a hired a huge venue and allow plenty of time for questions. Can anyone go? Or just shareholders?

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  19. I do not know the rules and regs in Victoria, but in my home State, Solicitors are required to keep records of the trust account for 15 years.
    Again, where I am, the file does not belong to the lawyer, but remains the property of the client. Thus the Solicitor is quite restricted as to whom he may show the file. Probably the same in Victoria.
    But keep hunting!

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  20. A more forward looking question:-

    "As a shareholder interested in protecting my investment, can the Board advise, from the most recent round of staff appraisals, what percentage of Slater and Gordon staff were classified as "young and naive"?

    The Irish Lion

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  21. Or possibly a longer version of the above question:-

    "As a shareholder interested in protecting my investment, can the Board advise, from the most recent round of staff appraisals, what percentage of Slater and Gordon staff were classified as "young and naive", rooting their clients, not keeping files, and setting up "slush" funds?

    The Irish Lion

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