Citation issued: November 8, 2021; amended March 28, 2022
Scott Thomas Johnston
Citations are authorized by the Law Society of BC's Discipline Committee and list allegations against a lawyer that will be considered at a discipline hearing. Please note that allegations in a citation are unproven until a discipline hearing panel has determined their validity.
Nature of conduct to be inquired into:
1. On or about June 20, 2020, you sexually harassed A, an employee of your law firm, contrary to one or both of rules 2.2-1 and 6.3-3 of the Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia,when you did one or more of the following:
(a) made comments and gestures of a sexual nature;
(b) engaged in unwelcome sexual advances; and
(c) touched her without her consent.
This conduct constitutes professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming the profession, pursuant to s. 38(4) of the Legal Profession Act.
2. On or about June 20, 2020, you sexually harassed B, an employee of your law firm, contrary to one or both of rules 2.2-1 and 6.3-3 of the Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia, when you did one or both of the following:
(a) made a comment and gesture of a sexual nature, and
(b) touched her without her consent.
This conduct constitutes professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming the profession, pursuant to s. 38(4) of the Legal Profession Act.
3. Between approximately May 2019 and October 2020, you engaged in the harassment of persons employed by your law firm by engaging in inappropriate conduct, or by making inappropriate statements, which you knew or ought to have known were unwelcome and/or likely to create a hostile work environment that would adversely affect individuals employed by your firm, contrary to one or both of rules 6.3-3 and 6.3-4 of the Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia.
This conduct constitutes professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming the profession, pursuant to s. 38(4) of the Legal Profession Act.