News Release
October 04, 2017

Vancouver, October 4, 2017 – The Law Society sets standards of professional responsibility for BC lawyers and articled students, and upholds those standards through a complaints and discipline process. These standards and processes are important to maintain public confidence and trust in lawyers. Accordingly, the Law Society has accepted an admission of professional misconduct from lawyer K. Joseph Spears of West Vancouver and permitted him to resign from membership in the Law Society in the face of discipline. His resignation is effective September 28, 2017.

As set out in the decision on facts and determination, the hearing panel found Spears to have committed professional misconduct by breaching an undertaking he gave to the Law Society not to take on any new files other than from the Department of Justice or Government of Canada, and by borrowing money from his clients. Spears admitted the hearing panel’s findings of professional misconduct.

In resolving the disciplinary proceedings, the Law Society’s Discipline Committee required Spears to agree not to apply for reinstatement for a period of seven years, in order to protect the public interest. Should Spears apply for reinstatement after seven years, he would then have to satisfy a credentials hearing panel that he is of good character and fit to practise law and, if reinstated, would have to comply with whatever conditions or limitations on his practice that may be imposed.

The Law Society of British Columbia upholds and protects the public interest in the administration of justice by ensuring the independence, integrity and competence of lawyers, establishing education and professional development standards for lawyers, regulating the practice of law and preserving and protecting the rights and freedoms of all persons.

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For further information contact:

Vinnie Yuen
Communications Officer
604.697.5836
vyuen@lsbc.org

 

David Jordan
Communications Officer
604.443.5708
djordan@lsbc.org