News Release
May 09, 2006

VANCOUVER — Pursuant to its statutory duty to govern BC’s legal profession in the public interest, the Law Society of BC has disciplined the following lawyers (the lawyer’s year of call to the BC Bar and location of practice appear in parentheses). Full hearing reports are posted on the Law Society’s website at www.lawsociety.bc.ca.

Larry William Goddard (1975, Abbotsford), admitted that he breached undertakings to discharge mortgages in four real estate conveyances and that his breaches constituted professional misconduct. A hearing panel ordered that Mr. Goddard be suspended for two months, that he be under a Practice Supervision Agreement for one year, and that he pay costs of $4,500.

Richard Luke Coglon (1997, ceased membership Jan 1 2003), was found guilty of professional misconduct for accepting instructions from two clients that placed him in a conflict of interest and for performing legal services for a client when Mr. Coglon’s relatives had a financial interest in the matter which would reasonably be expected to affect his professional judgment. A hearing panel ordered that he be suspended for one month and that he pay $20,000 in costs. Mr. Coglon is a former member who has applied for reinstatement and must still undergo a reinstatement hearing. The discipline proceedings relate to a period during which he was a member.

David John Martin (1986, Vancouver) was found guilty of professional misconduct for failing to adequately review the accounts of a client’s children whom he had hired to assist him in the Air India case. A hearing panel ordered that he be reprimanded, that he be suspended for six months and that he pay costs of $35,000.

David KK Tsang (1999, undertaking not to practise law Oct 18 2004, ceased membership Jan 1 2006) was found guilty of professional misconduct for failing to respond to the Law Society, failing to respond to a former client, failing to respond to another lawyer, failing to provide a client with competent service and failing to account to a client for trust funds. A hearing panel ordered that he be reprimanded; that prior to returning to practice he provide the Practice Standards Committee with a report on his medical condition, enter into a Practice Supervision Agreement and comply with all recommendations by the Practice Standards Committee; that he respond to all Law Society correspondence within 14 days of receipt and that he pay costs of $8,114.

Law Society of BC media contact:
Brad Daisley, Public Affairs Manager
Office: 604 443-5724 or 1-800-903-5300 toll-free in BC
Email: bdaisley@lsbc.org
www.lawsociety.bc.ca