A hearing panel of the Law Society tribunal has ordered Kamloops lawyer Jeremy Daniel Knight be suspended for a minimum of 16 months, effective immediately.
The panel determined that Knight committed professional misconduct by misappropriating retainer and/or disbursements funds in relation to two of his clients, and using the funds for a purpose he knew was not authorized by his client. The panel also determined that Knight failed to comply with his trust accounting obligations concerning the handling of either or both of his client retainer and disbursement funds, including failing to deposit the funds into a trust account, depositing funds into his personal bank account before rendering a bill for legal services, and failing to record all funds received and disbursed.
The hearing panel accepted the discipline penalty proposed by the Law Society. In determining the minimum 16-month suspension and additional conditions, the panel considered the intentional nature of Knight’s conduct, his professional conduct record including practice standards requirements related to his substance use issues, his acknowledgement of his misconduct and the steps he has taken to address his substance use problems.
Before Knight may practise law again, he must appear before a board of examiners appointed by the hearing panel or the Practice Standards Committee and satisfy it that his competence to practise law is not affected by a substance abuse problem. He will remain subject to practice restrictions until he is relieved of them by the Discipline Committee.
For details, read the written reasons on facts and determination and disciplinary action.
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For further information contact:
Vinnie Yuen
Communications Officer
604.697.5836
vyuen@lsbc.org