News Release
August 10, 2022

A hearing panel of the LSBC Tribunal has ordered Surrey lawyer Serf Grewal be suspended for two months, effective August 2, 2022.

The panel found that Grewal committed professional misconduct by engaging in various actions. The proven misconduct includes unintentional misappropriation of slightly over $42,000 of client trust funds, due to trust shortages and accounting errors, mishandling of a further $3,770 of client trust funds which resulted in a trust shortage that he did not report to the Law Society, improper withdrawal of $5,500 held in trust for fees before delivering bills to the client, failure to comply with accounting obligations over a four year period, and improperly commissioning an affidavit by not personally witnessing the attestation. The hearing panel also found that Grewal breached Law Society Rules related to Law Society reporting requirements.

In imposing a two-month suspension rather than a lengthier suspension, the panel considered evidence establishing that none of Grewal’s misconduct arose from dishonesty or deliberate misconduct for personal gain. The panel also considered evidence of a clear connection between Grewal’s misconduct and mental health issues related to childhood and personal trauma, and that the consequences flowed from his decision to report that trauma.

In addition to the suspension, the panel ordered conditions on Grewal’s practice, including requirements related to trust supervision and educational courses in trust accounting and practice management and ordered Grewal not to engage in residential real estate conveyances. The decision on disciplinary action, including the specific conditions ordered, is available here.

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