Vancouver, May 16, 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 January 6 to May 15, 2017, the Law Society obtained undertakings from eight 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 obtained orders prohibiting the following individuals and businesses from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.
On March 2, 2017, Robert William Louie, of Vancouver and Creston, consented to an order prohibiting him from representing himself as a lawyer, practising law and commencing, prosecuting and defending a proceeding in court on behalf of others. The Law Society alleged that Louie, who has a law degree but is not a lawyer, falsely represented himself as a lawyer to two individuals and offered legal services to them for a fee. One of the complainants alleged that he paid Louie $2,700 to commence an action in federal court. Louie did not, in fact, commence the action, despite accepting the funds. The other complainant alleged that Louie offered to assist her with a family law matter by preparing and filing a separation agreement with the court, and representing her in a workplace dispute for a fee. As a term of the court order, Louie must pay restitution to the complainants totaling $3,400 and the Law Society’s costs of $1,600.
On March 3, 2017, Mr. Justice Ball granted an injunction prohibiting Surinder Singh Trehan, of Vancouver, doing business as A S Canada & USA Immigration Services Ltd. and Canada and USA Immigration Services Ltd., from engaging in the practice of law and from representing himself as a lawyer or from using any other title that connotes entitlement or qualification to engage in the practice of law. The court found that Trehan offered and performed immigration services for a fee, while being neither a lawyer nor a registered immigration consultant. As such, the court found that Trehan and his associated businesses had engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. The court also found that Trehan had advertised himself on the internet as a barrister and solicitor and capable and qualified to provide legal services, including immigration services. The court awarded the Law Society its costs.
On March 8, 2017, Mr. Justice G.P. Weatherill granted an injunction prohibiting Kazimierz Crischuk, of Kelowna, from engaging in the practice of law and from commencing, prosecuting or defending a proceeding in any court on behalf of another. The court found that Crischuk had defended an action in the Supreme Court of BC on behalf of another, contrary to the Legal Profession Act. The court awarded the Law Society $2,600 in costs.
On April 27, 2017, Madam Justice Dardi granted an injunction prohibiting former lawyer Vivian Pei-Hua Chiang, of Vancouver, from engaging in the practice of law, from representing herself as a lawyer, solicitor or member of the Law Society, and from commencing, prosecuting and defending proceedings in any court on behalf of others. The court found that Chiang had wrongfully referred to herself as a solicitor of record in proceedings before the Federal Court while not a member of the Law Society. The court awarded the Law Society $1,500 in costs.
On May 4, 2017, Mr. Justice Verhoeven granted an injunction prohibiting Francisco MacDugall, of Vancouver, doing business as SITA Accelerating Social Impact Technology and “www.sita.io,” from commencing, prosecuting or defending proceedings in any court on behalf of others. The court also expanded an earlier injunction granted to prohibit MacDugall from engaging in the practice of law for, or in the expectation of, a fee, gain or reward. The court had previously enjoined MacDugall from holding himself out or representing himself as a lawyer or otherwise capable or qualified to practise law. The court found that MacDugall had offered various legal services to a start-up company and awarded costs to the Law Society in the amount of $2,000.
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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