Norma Harris
In what might be the most expensive football tickets ever purchased, a Melbourne lawyer has fumbled his career after calling in sick to attend AFL Gather Round in Adelaide – proving once again that social media and dishonesty mix about as well as tequila and professional responsibility.
Mitchell Fuller, a former Greens local government candidate, told his law firm employers he was under the weather and couldn’t make it to the office.
Meanwhile, he was enjoying games, beaches, and beers with mates in Adelaide. The digital trail of his weekend escapades eventually became Exhibit A in his career’s death certificate when the firm discovered his social posts months late, as Lawyers Weekly reported.
Deputy President Andrew Bell of the Fair Work Commission delivered a legal smackdown to Fuller’s unfair dismissal claim, noting his conduct was “utterly incompatible with his ongoing employment as a solicitor at the firm, where integrity and honesty are paramount.”
If that weren’t enough, Fuller also gave false evidence to the commission – a move Bell called “inexcusable” for a practicing solicitor.
The Unfair Dismissal Hail Mary
Fuller’s attempt to salvage his job fell flat with the Commission, which found his explanations less credible than a lawyer promising to work pro bono. His claim that he needed to “de-stress” might have carried more weight had he simply requested annual leave instead of crafting elaborate fiction about his health.
Making matters worse, prior to the social media revelation, Fuller had been caught working on a locked file despite directions not to do so – apparently using another matter to record his time. When it rains, it pours.
The case serves as a stark reminder that in an age where your weekend adventures are just one Instagram post away from your employer’s HR department, honesty remains the best policy – especially in a profession where integrity isn’t just expected, it’s required
