Admitted Discipline Violations

2005: No. 02 July-August

Randeep Singh Sarai

Vancouver, BC
Called to the bar: May 22, 2002

Discipline hearing: February 14, 2005
Panel: Ralston S. Alexander, QC, as a single-Bencher panel by consent
Report issued: May 9, 2005 (indexed as 2005 LSBC 17)
Counsel: Jean P. Whittow, QC for the Law Society and Craig Dennis for Mr. Sarai

Facts

In the course of his practice, Mr. Sarai:

• failed to acquire and maintain an adequate knowledge of substantive real estate law and procedure and failed to serve his clients in this area of law in a conscientious, diligent and efficient manner;
• breached numerous undertakings in real estate transactions;
• breached numerous Law Society trust accounting rules.
• breached the terms of a practice supervision agreement; and

failed to eliminate a trust fund shortage or report the shortage to the Law Society.

Verdict

The panel found, and Mr. Sarai admitted, that he was guilty of professional misconduct and breach of the Law Society Rules.

Penalty

The hearing panel emphasized the overwhelmingly large number of incidents of misconduct on the part of Mr. Sarai, including repeated breaches of undertakings and other inappropriate practices on real estate files.

The panel ordered that Mr. Sarai:

1. be suspended for one year commencing July 1, 2005;

2. be permitted to resume practise only in a practice situation approved by the Practice Standards Committee;

3. not be permitted to handle files involving any real estate law; and

4. pay a significant amount as costs, to be agreed upon by counsel or ordered by the panel, payable over a three-year period beginning six months after his resumption of practice.