Criminal trial for Vaud lawyer accused of overbilling
Véronique Fontana appears in Lausanne facing charges of fraud and document forgery. She allegedly invoiced excessive fees to clients receiving legal aid.
Criminal trial for Vaud lawyer accused of overbilling
The Lausanne Police Court has been examining since Monday a case involving Véronique Fontana. This criminal defence lawyer, based in the Vaud capital, is being prosecuted for fraud, attempted extortion and document forgery. The accusations relate to invoicing deemed abusive that was sent to two individuals in precarious financial situations who benefited from state coverage of their legal costs.
The defendant admits disorganised management of her office at the time of the incidents. She attributes the errors found to excessive workload, the simultaneous management of two offices and insufficient oversight of files delegated to an apprentice. She specifies that she spent most of her time in the courtroom and paid little attention to verifying the amounts claimed.
Before magistrate Marc Beuchat, she acknowledges management errors whilst denying any intention of extortion. She maintains having believed in good faith that the sums demanded corresponded to actual services.
This is not the first time the legal professional has been subject to disciplinary measures. She had previously been censured for inflated invoicing and had suffered a temporary suspension of four months from the bar association.
Source: Le Temps
Source: Le Temps