Lawyer found to have committed professional misconduct for misappropriating trust funds and assisting fraudulent conduct.
The Law Society of Ontario brought an application against the respondent lawyer alleging professional misconduct, including misappropriation of trust funds, using trust accounts for non-legal purposes, assisting in fraudulent conduct, breaching an undertaking, and failing to cooperate with investigations.
The respondent did not attend the hearing.
The Law Society Tribunal found that the respondent misappropriated approximately $3.5 million, used her trust accounts to facilitate millions of dollars in transactions unrelated to legal services, and failed to respond to multiple investigations.
The panel concluded that all allegations of professional misconduct were proven and directed that a penalty hearing be scheduled.
