The Law Society of Manitoba
219 Kennedy Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 1S8
THE LAW SOCIETY OF MANITOBA
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT HANDBOOK
No. 78 Filing Instructions Sheet February 17, 2005
Please follow the filing instructions indicated.
Filing Instructions
Section: Take out Put in
Pages Pages
Rules 107 – 108 107 - 108
Discipline Case Digests 04-03
04-05
Filing Instructions
This filing instruction sheet is No. 78 No. 77 No. 78
(Retain in front of binder)
This page left blank intentionally
to enable double-sided printing.
RÈGLES DE LA SOCIÉTÉ DU BARREAU
Additional action Possibilité de cumul des mesures
5-74(2) Subject to rule 5-77, the committee 5-74(2) Sous réserve de l’article 5 -77, le
is not precluded from taking any of the steps recours par le comité à l’une des mesures
in subsection (1) because it has previously visées au paragraphe (1) n’a pas pour effet
taken another of those steps in the same de l’empêcher de prendre une autre des
matter. mesures en cause ultérieurement, dans la
même affaire.
Notice Notification
5-75 The chief executive officer must 5-75 Le directeur général com-
notify the complainant and the member in munique par écrit au plaignant et au
writing of any determination by the committee membre en cause toute décision prise par
under rule 5-74(1). le com ité en vertu du paragraphe 5-74(1).
Reconsideration Reprise de l’enquête
5-76 A complaint that has been dealt 5-76 Même après avoir décidé, en
with under rule 5-74(1)(a) may be vertu de l’alinéa 5-74(1)(a), de ne prendre
reconsidered by the committee at a later date aucune autre mesure relative-ment à une
and be the subject of further action. plainte, le comité peut ultérieurement
reprendre l’enquête et avoir recours à de
nouvelles mesures à l’égard de la plainte.
Formal caution Avertissement formel
5-77(1) The committee may censure or 5-77(1) Le comité peut donner à un
disapprove of a member’s conduct by issuing membre un avertissement formel
a formal caution to the member. If the condamnant ou désapprouvant sa conduite.
caution is accepted by the member, it must Si le membre accepte l’avertissement, il est
be issued in writing to him or her, no other formulé par écrit, aucune des autres
action must be taken by the committee under mesures visées au paragraphe 5 -74(1) ne
rule 5-74(1) and the caution must not be the peut être prise par le comité et aucun appel
subject of an appeal. ne peut être interjeté de la décision.
Member may refuse caution Refus de l’avertissement
5-77(2) If a member refuses to accept a 5-77(2) Si le membre n’accepte pas
formal caution, the committee must issue and l’avertissement formel, le comité porte une
proceed with a charge under rule 5-78. accusation contre lui aux termes de l’article
5-78.
Caution is confidential Avertissement confidentiel
5-77(3) A formal caution, if accepted, is 5-77(3) L’avertissement formel constitue,
confidential. s’il est accepté par le membre, un document
confidentiel.
02/05 107
LAW SOCIETY RULES
Permitted disclosure Divulgation permise
5-77(4) Despite subsection (3), a formal 5-77(4) Malgré le paragraphe (3), un
caution and the circumstances surrounding it avertissement formel et les faits qui y ont
may be disclosed: donné lieu peuvent être divulgués aux
personnes suivantes :
(a) to the committee, when it is considering (a) comité, lors de l'étude de plaintes
any subsequent complaints about the ultérieures au sujet du membre en
member; cause;
(b) to a discipline panel that later convicts (b) au sous -comité disciplinaire, s’il
the member of any charge, to assist it déclare ultérieurement le membre en
in determining the appropriate penalty; cause coupable d’une accusation, aux
fins de déterminer la peine qui
convient;
(c) to the complainant, the member’s (c) au plaignant, à la personne désignée
designated person under rule 2-77, par le membre en application de
each other governing body of the legal l’article 2-77, à tout ordre
profession in Canada of which the professionnel de juristes au Canada
member is a member and in any auquel le membre appartient et aux
database of membership information responsables de toute base de
operating to facilitate the mobility of données sur les membres, visant à
lawyers in Canada. favoriser la mobilité des avocats au
(A.M. 02/05) Canada.
(MOD. 02/05)
Charge Acte d’accusation
5-78(1) Where the committee directs that a 5-78(1) Lorsque le comité ordonne de
charge be laid against a member, the chief porter une accusation contre un membre, le
executive officer must draft a charge that directeur général dresse un acte
clearly states what the member is alleged to d’accusation qui indique clairement l’acte ou
have done or omitted to do. l’omission reproché au membre.
Service of charge Signification de l’acte d’accusation
5-78(2) A charge must be served on the 5-78(2) L’acte d’accusation est signifié au
member or his or her counsel and forwarded membre ou à son avocat et acheminé au
to the discipline committee. The charge must comité de discipline. L’acte indique la date,
include a notice of the date, time and place l’heure et le lieu de l’audience où il sera fait
for setting the hearing date to determine the enquête sur l’accusation portée contre le
disposition of the charge against the membre.
member.
108 02/05
DISCIPLINE CASE DIGEST
Case 04-03
Member: John Charles Brown
Jurisdiction: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Called to the Bar: September 23, 1963
Particulars of Charges Professional Misconduct (2 counts)
Failure to serve client in a conscientious, diligent and
efficient manner (x2)
Date of Hearing August 18, 2004
Panel Douglas G. Ward, Q.C. (Chair)
Gordon J. Hoeschen
Sandra L. Chapman
Disposition Fine of $2,500.00
Costs of $1,500.00
Counsel C. Kristin Dangerfield for The Law Society of Manitoba
Member Unrepresented
Failure to Serve
Facts
Mr. Brown was retained by a client in May, 1998 to complete an uncontested divorce and to
transfer title to the marital home. He prepared and filed the petition for divorce in the Court of
Queen's Bench and initially took steps to effect service on the client's spouse and to have an
affidavit for uncontested divorce executed. The transfer of land effecting the transfer of the
marital home was registered in March, 1999. Between March 5, 1999 and December, 2002,
Mr. Brown took no steps to advance the divorce action, notwithstanding telephone messages and
personal visits from the client requesting information as to the status of the matter.
In another matter, Mr. Brown was retained in March, 2000 by the Executor of an Estate. During
the period from May, 2000 to May, 2003, there were significant delays in the redemption of two
types of assets of the estate, specifically, bonds and corporate shares. For significant periods of
time, Mr. Brown either failed to take steps to process the redemption of the assets, or his efforts
to do so were sporadic. Mr. Brown failed to respond to a letter sent to him by his client in June,
2002, and to a series of telephone messages left for him in the fall of 2002.
-2-
Plea
The member entered a plea of guilty to two counts of breaching Chapter 2 of the Code of
Professional Conduct.
Decision and Comments
The Committee found the member guilty of professional misconduct based on his admission to
the charges.
Penalty
The panel accepted a joint recommendation made by Mr. Brown and the Law Society and
resolved that Mr. Brown be fined $2,500.00 and ordered to pay costs in the amount of $1,500.00.
DISCIPLINE CASE DIGEST
Case 04-05
Member: John (Jack) Robert Fryatt
Jurisdiction: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Called to the Bar: June 29, 1989
Particulars of Charges Professional Misconduct (16 counts)
Breach of Queen’s Bench Rule 74.14(4) (charging a fee
in excess of tariff) (x4)
Breach of Rule 5-43(1)(g) (payment of a personal
account from pooled trust account) (x2)
Breach of Chapter 11 of the Code (stipulating, charging
or accepting a fee that is not fully disclosed, fair and
reasonable) (x3)
Breach of Rule 5-43(1)(c) (withdrawing funds from trust
for fees without sending a bill to the client at the time the
funds are withdrawn) (x7)
Date of Hearing December 14, 2004
Panel J.F.R. Taylor, Q.C., Chair
C.V. Kopynsky, Q.C.
R.M. Kozak
Finding Guilty of all Charges
Disposition Suspension (6 months)
Costs of $5,000.00
Counsel D. Senft for The Law Society of Manitoba
S. Green, Q.C. for the Member
Excessive Fees
Facts
With respect to four estate matters, Mr. Fryatt charged fees in excess of the fees that are
allowable under Queen’s Bench Rule 74.14(4) without obtaining either the consent of the
beneficiaries to an agreed fee or Court approval in accordance with Queen’s Bench Rule 74.14.
In relation to two estate matters, Mr. Fryatt paid personal accounts from monies that were being
held in trust to the credit of the two estates. These charges related to three instances where Mr.
Fryatt paid monies out of trust in relation to his own GST account, his Visa account and his
Mastercard account. Subsequently, Mr. Fryatt deposited monies into his pooled trust account in
like amounts to the credit of the estate matters.
In relation to three estate matters, Mr. Fryatt breached the rule set out in Chapter 11 of the Code
of Professional Conduct in that he stipulated, charged or accepted a fee that was not fully
disclosed, fair or reasonable. In one matter, Mr. Fryatt took fees in circumstances where minimal
work had been performed. In another matter, he took fees when no further legal services had
been rendered to the client. In another matter, he failed to fully disclose the fees that were taken.
In relation to seven estate matters, Mr. Fryatt breached Law Society Rule 5-43(1)(c) on 27
occasions in that he withdrew funds from trust for fees without sending a bill to the client at the
time the funds were withdrawn.
Plea
The member did not contest the charges contained in the Citation that was served upon him nor
did he contest the particulars contained in a Statement of Agreed Facts that had been prepared
by the Society.
Decision and Comments
The Panel found the member guilty of professional misconduct.
Penalty
The Panel made the order requested by the Society and agreed to by Mr. Fryatt, suspending him
from the practice of law for a period of six months and requiring that he pay costs to the Society in
the amount of $5,000.00. The Panel further ordered that upon Mr. Fryatt’s resumption of
practice, he must practice under the supervision of a member approved by the Society for a
period of one year in relation to the execution of any trust cheques and the rendering of any
Statements of Account.