Litigation firm Slater & Gordon has terminated the co-chairman of the Storm Investors Consumer Action Group (SICAG) from its Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) resolution scheme over his alleged sympathies for former Storm Financial (Storm) founders.
Slater & Gordon Brisbane group practice leader Damian Scattini said the legal firm and SICAG co-chairman Mark Weir have parted ways.
“We have advised Mark Weir that we no longer represent him because he is an apologist for Storm,” Scattini said.
“We used to have a joint interest with them [SICAG]. But they, Mark Weir for instance, is a complete apologist.
“Now if you want to put out there that the model was fine, then we at Slater & Gordon want nothing to do with you on that basis because it’s just not the case – its wrong.”
Last week, InvestorDaily obtained a copy of a complaint from a member of SICAG against Scattini.
The complaint has also been forwarded on to the Legal Services Commissioner, ASIC chairman Tony D’Aloisio and CBA chief Ralph Norris.
“I find that you have terminated Mr Mark Weir – the chairman of SICAG – as a client simply because he allowed some members of SICAG to voice their complaints about your company in the SICAG discussion forum,” the complaint said.
“I must remind you that for him to do otherwise would have been a gross dereliction of his duty as the spokesman elected by members of SICAG to represent the views of its membership. He was not endorsing these complaints himself but rather being mindful of the SICAG members’ disquiet.”
Members of SICAG said the behaviour with regard to Weir is both unprofessional and completely unacceptable, according to the complaint.
“We demand that Mr Mark Weir be offered reinstatement with your company immediately, and that your firm start listening to the concerns of its Storm Financial clients rather than riding roughshod over their wishes and concerns,” it said.
“We also demand the names of those that have been leaking privileged information to you in SICAG so they can be dealt with accordingly. If you do not pay heed to our requests, many of your SICAG clients will seek legal advice elsewhere.”
Mark Weir was unavailable for comment.
