The Law Society of Upper Canada

Paralegals: Tribunal Orders and
Dispositions

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The Law Society of Upper Canada regulates the lawyers and paralegals of Ontario in the public interest. The Law Society ensures that all lawyers and licensed paralegals in Ontario meet standards of learning, professional competence and professional conduct that are appropriate for the legal services they provide.

Lawyers and paralegals who fail to meet the standards are subject to the Law Society's complaints and disciplinary processes. Most complaints are resolved or addressed by Law Society staff and do not result in a formal prosecution and hearing. Where appropriate, staff try to resolve the complaint by working with the complainant and the lawyer or paralegal. A small number of complaints proceed to a hearing. Hearing Panels and Appeal Panels are responsible for determining the appropriate disposition of these cases. These Panels are made up of lawyers, paralegals and members of the public.

Listed below are recent Hearing Panel and Appeal Panel orders. Recent and historical orders may also be searched alphabetically and chronologically (2009 onward).

The notation, "UNDER APPEAL" is included where a party has appealed a final decision or order of the Hearing Panel to the Appeal Panel. Appeals to the Divisional Court and any resulting disposition are not cited on this website. A paralegal's current status may be determined by referencing the Law Society's Lawyer and Paralegal Directory.

Orders are updated to reflect amendments or corrections ordered by the Panel.

Reasons for decision when provided by a Panel are available free of charge on the Canadian Legal Information Institute website. Reasons of the Panel are also available on the Quicklaw website. Copies of orders may be requested by contacting the Tribunals Office at tribunals@lsuc.on.ca or 416-947-5249.

Attention news media: The Law Society sends summaries of tribunal decisions to media on a weekly basis. If you are a member of the media and would like to be added to this distribution list, please contact vyoung@lsuc.on.ca

Simon Leslie Warder (2008), of the City of Sarnia, was found to have engaged in professional misconduct for

• failing to respond to and cooperate with an investigation of the Law Society by failing to produce information and documentation requested in multiple letters and telephone calls respecting three complaints.

By Decision and Order dated April 20, 2010 the Hearing Panel ordered as follows:

1. The Paralegal is suspended for 30 days commencing May 1, 2010.


2. The Paralegal shall participate in a practice review in accordance with s. 42 of the Law Society Act.


3. The Paralegal shall obtain a date for a practice reviewer to attend at his office and ensure that the attendance takes place within six (6) months of the final termination of the Paralegal's suspension pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Order.


4. The Paralegal shall cooperate with the practice reviewer and implement forthwith any recommendations made as a result of the practice review.


5. The Paralegal shall also participate in a second practice review six (6) months after the date of the first practice review, the purpose of which, will be largely but not exclusively, to assess the degree to which the Paralegal implemented the recommendations in the first practice review.


6. The Paralegal shall comply fully with the terms of the Law Society's Guidelines For Paralegals Who Are Suspended Or Who Have Given An Undertaking Not To Provide Legal Services, while suspended pursuant to this Order.


7. The Paralegal shall pay costs to the Law Society fixed in the amount of $1500.00 within six (6) months, the six (6) month period commencing May 31, 2010, and if payment is not made within that six (6) month period, interest will accrue at 2% per annum thereafter.

(Counsel for the Society, Nisha Dhanoa / the Paralegal self-represented)

Giancarlo Bellisario (2008), of the City of Toronto, was found to have engaged in professional misconduct for failing to provide a substantive response to communications from the Law Society including three letters.

By Decision and Order dated April 9, 2010 the Hearing Panel ordered as follows:

1. The Paralegal is suspended for 2 months, commencing on the date of this Order, and continuing indefinitely until he has produced, to the satisfaction of  the Director of Professional Regulation, a complete response to the complaint of Monex Group, including information and documentation requested in letters dated September 21, 2009, November 4, 2009, and November 19, 2009.


2. The Paralegal shall comply fully with the terms of the Law Society's Guidelines for Paralegals who are Suspended or who have Given an Undertaking Not to Provide legal Services, while suspended pursuant to this Order.


3. The Paralegal shall pay costs to the Law Society in the amount of $4387.50 within twelve months of the date of this Order, failing which interest will accrue at a rate of 2% per annum thereafter.

(Counsel for the Society, Anne-Katherine Dionne / the Paralegal was not present and not represented)

Donald Anderson Geddes, of the City of Mississauga, a paralegal applicant, applied for a Class P1 licence.

By Decision and Order dated March 31, 2010, the Hearing Panel ordered as follows:

1. The application for a Class P1 licence is denied.

(Counsel for the Society, Elaine Strosberg / Counsel for the Paralegal Applicant, Timothy Pusztai)

UNER APPEAL
John Charles West, of the City of Windsor, a paralegal applicant, applied for a Class P1 licence.

By Decision and Order dated March 31, 2010, the Hearing Panel ordered as follows:

1. The application for a Class P1 licence is dismissed.

(Counsel for the Society, Susan Heakes / Counsel for the Paralegal Applicant, Peter Hrastovec)

Christopher Thomas Walpole, of the Town of Bolton, applied for a Class P1 licence, for licensing as a paralegal.

By Decision and Order dated March 30, 2010 the Hearing Panel ordered as follows:

1. The Application for a P1 license is granted.

(Counsel for the Society, Glenn Stuart / Counsel for the Paralegal Applicant, Marie Henein and Elme Schmid)

Claude Hyman Armstrong, of the City of Mississauga. By Notice of Motion dated March 3, 2010, the paralegal applicant asked for a stay of the Decision and Order of the Hearing Panel dated December 23, 2009, which dismissed the application for a P1 licence.

By Order dated March 26, 2010 the Appeal Panel ordered as follows:

1. The Stay pending appeal is granted on the following terms:
1. That the stay is to be in effect until the earlier of 90 days from this order or the hearing of the appeal; and
2. That the Appellant shall be employed as a paralegal solely for Traffic Ticket People.
2. The appeal in this matter shall be expedited.
3. There is no order as to costs.

(Counsel for the Society, Susan Heakes / Counsel for the Appellant, Eugene Bhattacharya)

Harvey Dennis, of the City of Toronto, applied for a Class P1 licence for licensing as a paralegal.

By Decision and Order dated February 16, 2010 the Hearing Panel ordered as follows:

1. Mr. Dennis will provide to the Law Society today an irrevocable Notice of Abandonment to take effect on March 26, 2010.
2. Mr. Dennis has agreed to provide to the Law Society copies of the letters he will write to all active clients confirming that he will no longer be able to act for them after March 26, 2010. We accordingly order that he do so in accordance with his consent.

(Counsel for the Society, Glenn M. Stuart / Counsel for the Applicant, Harold J. Doan)

Danny Freitas, of the City of Brampton, applied for a Class P1 licence, for licensing as a paralegal.

By Decision and Order dated February 16, 2010 the Hearing Panel ordered as follows:

1. The Applicant is granted a P1 Licence without conditions.

(Counsel for the Society, Susan Heakes, and Representative of Record for the Society Jennifer Forde / Representative of Record for the Applicant, Francesco Alfano)