Former Victoria lawyer Lindsay Adam Christopher Ross disbarred for professional misconduct

Former Victoria lawyer Lindsay Adam Christopher Ross has been disbarred for misappropriating trust funds and misleading clients, a lawyer and the Law Society.

A Law Society Tribunal panel found that Ross misappropriated $100,000 of his client’s funds by depositing the funds to his general account and using the money to close a transaction for another client. He also repeatedly made false and misleading claims to his clients and other parties..   

In addition, Ross acted in a conflict of interest when he represented his wife, his cousin and her spouse in the purchase and sale of multiple properties, inappropriately invested his clients’ funds in a project that he and his wife had a personal interest in, and distributed the sales proceeds entirely to his wife when he knew the proceeds were not enough to pay the other parties their share.

In ordering the disbarment, the panel considered the serious nature of Ross’ misconduct and that it was committed for his own personal financial benefit. The panel also noted that Ross is a senior lawyer who is experienced in complex commercial transactions and that he used his expertise and his clients’ trust to mislead them. The panel took into consideration his professional conduct record, which shows serious lapses of responsibility regarding trust accounting processes and lack of respect for lawyers and the court. The panel also ordered that Ross pay $49,075 in costs.

Ross became a former lawyer of the Law Society in 2021.

For the full decision, see the panel’s decision on disciplinary action.