Discipline Decision 1980

http://www.canlii.org/en/nl/nlls/doc/1980/1980canlii27/1980canlii27.html

Summary

A complaint was made to the Law Society that Pitcher had failed to properly maintain and operate clients’ trust accounts. From a hearing into the matter, the Panel of the Discipline Committee found that:

1. ) Pitcher had transferred money from his trust account into his general account without justification and made payments of personal expenses out of his trust account,
2. ) The lawyer’s drawings from his practice were substantially in excess of his net earnings before tax as reported in his income tax returns,
3. ) The lawyer’s equity in land and office buildings were partially acquired from trust funds, and
4. ) The lawyer’s trust account was insolvent.

The Panel found Pitcher guilty of failing to properly maintain and operate clients’ trust accounts and recommended disbarment. Benchers accepted the finding that he had failed to properly maintain and operate trust accounts and ordered his disbarment and his payment of the Law Society costs.