News Release
November 12, 2015

UPDATES SINCE ORIGINAL NEWS RELEASE

  •  November 20, 2015: Written reasons are available here.

Vancouver, November 12, 2015 –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 ordered that lawyer Christopher R. Penty of Kelowna be suspended for professional misconduct.

Before a hearing panel, Penty admitted to two allegations of misconduct relating to his representation of a client in 2011. The proven allegations include issuing bills to clients that misrepresented the amount that he was entitled to bill and misrepresenting facts before a Supreme Court master.

The panel found that the admitted conduct amounts to professional misconduct and on October 29, 2015 the panel ordered that Penty be suspended for four months beginning December 1, 2015 and ending March 31, 2016. Penty is also required to pay hearing costs in the amount of $2,500.

Written reasons of the panel’s decisions will be released in due course.

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 or to arrange an interview contact:

Tim Travis
Communications Officer
604.697.5836
ttravis@lsbc.org

David Jordan
Communications Officer
604.443.5708
djordan@lsbc.org