Former Waipukurau lawyer Hugh Hamilton has been struck off the roll of barristers and solicitors after admitting deceiving a client over the use of $62,000.
The banishment followed a New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal hearing in Hastings on Monday.
The New Zealand Law Society had brought charges of misconduct against the lawyer, who served six years as Central Hawke's Bay's first mayor.
A law-society statement said that in admitting the charges, Hamilton accepted he had intentionally and dishonestly deceived a client about the recipient and intended use of $62,000 advanced by that client.
Contrary to what he led the client to believe, Hamilton used the funds to repay debt owed by a company of which Hamilton was sole director.