The Law Society Tribunal has found Richmond lawyer Hong Guo committed professional misconduct in two recent decisions, further adding to her history of misconduct.
In a decision issued on July 21, 2023, the hearing panel found that Guo acted in a conflict of interest by representing clients who were directly adverse in interests, failed to deposit trust funds into a trust account and properly record the funds in her records, and allowed people to use her trust account without providing substantial legal services, without making or recording inquiries about the funds. The panel also found she failed to respond to the Law Society’s custodianship department and provided false and incorrect information to the Law Society during the investigation process.
In a decision issued on July 27, 2023, the hearing panel determined Guo committed professional misconduct by acting in a conflict of interest while representing two or more of her clients in connection with the purchase of a real estate development project, preferring the interests of some of her corporate clients over those of others, and continuing to represent clients with conflicting interests even when a contentious issue arose.
Disciplinary action hearings will be held at a later date to determine the appropriate sanctions for the misconduct.