Fraser Valley lawyer Liam P. Kearns has been fined $15,000 after reaching a consent agreement with the Law Society to resolve a complaint relating to trust accounting rules.
Kearns admitted that he allowed a non-lawyer to access at least 17 pre-signed blank trust cheques between 2020 and 2022, contrary to the Law Society Rules. Kearns had no knowledge of, or reason to suspect, further misconduct relating to the cheques.
In considering the consent agreement proposal, the Law Society took into account Kearns’ professional conduct record, which consisted of two prior conduct reviews. Kearns acknowledged his misconduct was wrong and is remorseful.
Kearns has agreed to pay a fine of $15,000 and review the Law Society’s Trust Accounting Handbook and the Trust Accounting Basics webinar, as well as hold two workshops with his accounting and legal staff about trust accounting principles.
A summary of the consent agreement can be found here.