Vancouver, May 1, 2015 – The Law Society sets standards of professional responsibility for BC lawyers and articled students. These standards are important to maintain public confidence and trust in lawyers.
On December 30, 2014, the Law Society accepted an undertaking from Robert Scott Morrice to cease his membership in the Law Society and not to further engage in the practice of law, with or without the expectation of a fee. On the basis of the undertaking, Mr. Morrice was permitted to end his Law Society membership for non-payment of fees as of January 1, 2015. See the undertaking here. The Law Society sought the undertaking to ensure the public was protected while the Law Society completes an investigation into his conduct and decides whether disciplinary action is required.
Mr. Morrice is under investigation by the Law Society with regard to allegations by the BC Securities Commission that Mr. Morrice engaged in conduct contrary to the public interest when he advised corporate clients to relocate their head offices and directors to another jurisdiction to avoid a new securities filing requirement in BC. Mr. Morrice continued to assist the clients in administering their affairs from BC, in breach of the new securities requirements. Mr. Morrice also filed disclosure documents with US securities regulators on behalf of the three companies in which the public was advised that the companies were being administered from another jurisdiction when he knew that was not correct.
On April 27, 2015, Mr. Morrice reached a settlement with the BC Securities Commission regarding its allegations against him. Details of the settlement are available on the BC Securities Commission website.
The Law Society of British Columbia regulates the more than 11,000 practising lawyers in the province, setting and enforcing standards of professional conduct that ensure the public is well-served by a competent, honourable legal profession.
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For further information contact:
David Jordan
Communications Officer
604.443.5708
djordan@lsbc.org
Taylore Ashlie
Director, Communications and Knowledge Management
604.697.5845
tashlie@lsbc.org