News Release
September 15, 2009

Vancouver — The Law Society of BC has ordered lawyers Mobina Jaffer and Azool Jaffer-Jeraj to undergo a conduct review to consider complaints that they engaged in excessive and inaccurate billing of the client and failed to fully and fairly inform a client about their retainer.

The decision by the Law Society’s discipline committee follows a society investigation launched after a client – the Order of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate – sued the two lawyers and their firm, accusing them of overbilling the Order for legal work done from 2000 to 2004. The lawyers and their firm had billed the religious order $5.1 million in legal fees.

The investigation was suspended pending the outcome of the law suit, which ultimately was settled out of court.

The conduct review will be scheduled for the first available date.

“Undergoing a conduct review is a serious matter for any lawyer,” said Stuart Cameron, Director of Discipline.

A conduct review is one of several disciplinary responses available to the Law Society in regulating members of the legal profession in BC. When a review is ordered, the lawyer must appear before a Conduct Review Subcommittee.

The Subcommittee may make recommendations to the Discipline Committee, which may then decide to take no further action, refer the lawyer to the Practice Standards Committee or order a public hearing.

The Law Society of BC was incorporated in 1884 and is the governing body of the legal profession in BC. Under the provisions of the Legal Profession Act, the Law Society is responsible for the licensing, professional conduct and discipline of the more than 10,000 lawyers in BC. 

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For further information, contact:

Michael Bernard, Communications Manager
The Law Society of BC
Desk: 604-697-5838  Mobile: 604-341-4535
Toll-free in BC: 1-800-903-5300