A lawyer in Port Elgin has been found guilty of misconduct.
John Douglas King was given 30 days to hand over his license to practice law or the Law Society of Ontario would take it away, the law society announced last week.
King admitted guilt in a Walkerton courtroom and received a conditional discharge in August 2020 for sexual assault against a former client the previous summer. He was sentenced to six months of probation, faced practice restrictions, and had to submit a DNA sample.
At that time, the law society’s website showed that King was no longer practicing law, which remains true today. He was called to the bar back in 1974.
The latest findings from the law society came after a conduct hearing on December 10, revealing that King accepted cash payments for legal services but did not deposit them into the firm’s general bank account or record them properly.
He “failed to act with integrity” as required under the Rules of Professional Conduct by denying his law partner her share of the profits.
While serving as estate trustee and solicitor for another client, he also failed to act with integrity by taking executor compensation upfront, as found by the law society tribunal.
King did not notify the law society about being charged with sexual assault against a client, which he was required to do. The tribunal determined he “engaged in professional misconduct and/or unbecoming a lawyer licensee,” contrary to the Law Society Act, by committing sexual assault against a client.
Along with surrendering his license, King must follow the guidelines set by the law society for former lawyers who have lost their licenses.
The panel has yet to decide on costs related to this matter.
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