Dominique 'distressed estate' Grubisa stripped of legal practising certificate

Authorities have announced they will consider 'other regulatory action' against self-professed property and law maven Dominique Grubisa, after stripping her of her Australian legal practising certificate. Dave Donovan reports.

IN AUGUST 2020, Independent Australia became the first media organisation in the country to expose the conduct of self-professed property maven and solicitor Dominique Grubisa. That story gave Grubisa’s background, a broad overview of her questionable activities and lack of interest in such by relevant authorities.

Since then, IA has published many stories about the activities of Grubisa and her businesses off the back of detailed investigations.

As we exposed in April 2021, despite living in New South Wales, Grubisa's legal practising certificate was from Victoria.

Dominique Grubisa's "distressed" Victorian law practising certificate

"Distressed estates" maven Dominique Grubisa resides and practices law in NSW but relies on a Victorian practising certificate. Should she be struck off the roll?

In a statement published last night on its website, the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner’s office (VLSBC) announced that Grubisa no longer holds a practising certificate in Australia and is no longer entitled to engage in legal practice anywhere in Australia.

In its statement, the VLSBC said:

'We are aware of the recent ASIC decision and recent media interest relating to Ms Grubisa and her various business entities, and we are currently considering what other regulatory action is necessary.'

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) decision was to ban Grubisa for four years from engaging in credit activity, providing financial services, performing any function in a credit entity, or controlling a credit entity or financial services business.

Grubisa has lodged an application with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of ASIC’s decision.

Earlier this week the Financial Review published an article about a company called RER Lawyers established by Grubisa in 2013. In that article, journalist Max Mason reported that ASIC records showed one of the directors as being James Lyons, a Sydney solicitor who previously represented Grubisa’s father Christopher Ronald Fitzsimons.

That article quoted Lyons as saying:

'That is the first I’m hearing of it. I know nothing about it.'

Not only was Lyons' address on documents submitted to ASIC listed as the current home address of Grubisa and her husband Kevin, but the date of birth for Lyons also appears different from that for other companies of which he was a director.

IA was first to expose the involvement of Fitzsimons using the alias "Chris Jackson" in providing legal advice to Grubisa’s "students" despite being struck from the roll in 2012, in our very first article about Grubisa in August 2020.

EXCLUSIVE: Grubisa uses struck off solicitor parents to give legal advice to students and clients

High-profile property and law maven Dominique Grubisa has been using her struck-off parents to provide legal advice and services to her students and clients. Dave Donovan investigates.

Then in July last year, we reported on how Grubisa‘s parents were using an email account – that included the name of Lyons' law firm – to give legal advice.

IA understands that ASIC is now investigating issues relating to RER Lawyers and Lyons' comments about having no knowledge of being a director of that company.

The question remains, however, with whom it was that Kevin Grubisa was meeting from 2014 to 2019, as co-director, to pass the solvency declaration required each year by ASIC as part of the annual review process.

Grubisa has been promoting a "War Council" event to be held on Saturday 25 June through her Property Lovers website.

In a video marketing this live-stream event, Grubisa says:

It’s a battlefield out there.

Gone are the days where you could simply throw money at the property market and watch it multiply.

In times like these, it’s never been more important to make sure that your asset protection and succession planning are in order.

Will Grubisa be back again spruiking her "asset protection service", despite the VLSBC’s action? Will she continue providing legal services, despite now having no right to do so, as she has, allegedly, been employing her struck-off parents?

We hope not. But we suspect otherwise.

Caveat emptor.

IA founder David G Donovan writes a regular weekly column on Tuesday mornings. Follow Dave on Twitter @davrosz. Also, follow Independent Australia on Twitter @independentaus, on Facebook HERE and on Instagram HERE.