Pauline Hanson's $750/hr lawyer copies news editor in 'victory' email

Pauline Hanson’s lawyer, Anthony Jefferies, made a lawyer's cardinal sin this week.

He accidentally copied in a third party in an email. But it wasn't just anyone - it was literally a news editor.

But not just any news editor - The Australian’s editor, Kelvin Healey.

Of course, The Australian has now written about the colossal mistake, because why wouldn't they?

Jefferies, who is a Gillis & Co commercial litigation partner, emailed the One Nation leader with “some good news.”

He relayed to his client that a bankruptcy notice had been served on former One Nation senator Brian Burston.

Burston had successfully sued Hanson for defamation in 2020, and Hanson was ordered to pay him $250 000. But on appeal, Hanson won, and Burston had to pay her legal costs. Hanson has been trying to recover the reported $317 000 since then.

This week, Jefferies emailed his client to report a victory of sorts - progress and a deadline.

“Service (of the bankruptcy notice) is the initial step that starts the clock now running for him,” Jefferies wrote.

“Burston now has 21 days to pay the amount claimed, or come to an arrangement with you, or apply to the court to set the notice aside. That period expires on 17 September, 2026.

“If he does none of those things by then, he commits an act of bankruptcy, and you can then present a creditor’s petition to the court seeking a sequestration order against him – which will then lead to his official bankruptcy.”

Copied in on the email was One Nation treasurer Alex Jones… and, somehow, accidentally Kelvin Healey - whose delight is not hard to imagine.

 

 

 

 

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Within 32 minuted, The Australian reports Jefferies emailed again to declare the first email “confidential and privileged”.

“You must not read further, copy, publish, disclose or otherwise use the email or its contents,” Jefferies wrote.

“Our client reserves all rights in respect of any use or disclosure of the email, including the right to seek urgent injunctive relief.”

One would think a lawyer charging a reported $750 an hour would not make such a colossal mistake, but then again, he's only human.

Hopefully Hanson is not charged for the two emails in his billable hours.