Vancouver, October 4, 2017 – The Law Society of British Columbia takes action against those who put the public at risk by performing unregulated and uninsured legal services or misrepresenting themselves as lawyers. When the Law Society receives a complaint, it will investigate and take appropriate action if there is a potential for harm to the public.
From May 16 to October 3, 2017, the Law Society obtained undertakings from seven individuals and businesses not to engage in the practice of law. Undertakings are written promises from individuals to stop engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. If undertakings are not complied with, the Law Society may obtain a court order. During that time period, the Law Society also obtained orders prohibiting the following individuals and businesses from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.
On July 7, 2017, Mr. Justice Grauer ordered that Gerhard Pyper, also known as Gerhardus Albertus Pyper, of Surrey, be permanently prohibited in the province of British Columbia from engaging in the practice of law for a fee, representing himself as a lawyer, and commencing, prosecuting or defending a proceeding in any court on behalf of another party, unless and until he becomes a practising member of the Law Society. The court found that Pyper had prosecuted proceedings in the Supreme Court on behalf of a company and sought leave on several occasions to represent the company before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal in the expectation of a fee, gain or reward, direct or indirect, from the company. The court awarded the Law Society its costs. Pyper is a former lawyer whose status as a practising lawyer ceased as of January 29, 2015. Pyper has appealed the decision of Mr. Justice Grauer to the Court of Appeal.
On August 16, 2017, Cain & Daniels, Inc., of Tampa, Florida, consented to an injunction prohibiting it from engaging in the practice of law in British Columbia. The Law Society had received complaints that the company had offered to negotiate the settlement of litigation for a fee on behalf of litigants.
On August 30, 2017, former lawyer Steven Neil Mansfield, of Vancouver, doing business as Bayshore Law Group, consented to an injunction prohibiting him from engaging in the practice of law, representing himself as a lawyer and from commencing, prosecuting or defending proceedings in any court on behalf of others. In its petition, the Law Society alleged that Mansfield falsely represented himself as a lawyer and assisted a former client with the conveyance of her property after his membership ceased on January 1, 2017. The Law Society also alleged that Mansfield failed to forward the proceeds of the sale to his former client after the sale of the property concluded. Further, the Law Society alleged that Mansfield drafted a will for the former client for or in the expectation of a fee after he ceased being a member of the Law Society.
To read the orders, search by name in the Law Society’s database of unauthorized practitioners.
The Law Society acts against the unauthorized practice of law to ensure only trained, qualified lawyers, or articled students or paralegals under a lawyer’s supervision, may provide legal services and advice to the public, as others are neither regulated nor insured. The Law Society 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:
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Vinnie Yuen
Communications Officer
604.697.5836
vyuen@lsbc.org
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David Jordan
Communications Officer
604.443.5708
djordan@lsbc.org
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