Citation issued: June 8, 2020; amended June 12, 2020
Aaron Murray Lessing
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 July 13, 2012, you disclosed confidential information of your prospective client, HM, contrary to Chapter 5, Rule 1 of the Professional Conduct Handbook, then in force, by forwarding an email from HM to PS.
This conduct constitutes professional misconduct, pursuant to s. 38(4) of the Legal Profession Act.
2. On or about July 5, 2014, you disclosed confidential information of your client SD, contrary to rule 3.3-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia, by forwarding an email from opposing counsel to PS.
This conduct constitutes professional misconduct, pursuant to s. 38(4) of the Legal Profession Act.
3. On or about April 16, 2017, you disclosed confidential information of your client EB, contrary to rule 3.3-1 of the Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia, by sending an email to PS.
This conduct constitutes professional misconduct, pursuant to s. 38(4) of the Legal Profession Act.
4. On or about December 12, 2018, in relation to your family law proceedings involving PS, you failed to act with honour, integrity, courtesy, and civility, when you swore and filed an affidavit, which you intended to rely upon or did later rely upon in court, containing statements for which you had no factual basis, including statements that alleged or implied that PS’s counsel was doing one or more of the following:
(a) improperly billing PS;
(b) conspiring or working with PS to defeat your interest in the family home;
(c) assisting or facilitating PS’s breach of a court order; and
(d) facilitating or procuring unqualified expert evidence.
This conduct constitutes professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming the profession, pursuant to s. 38(4) of the Legal Profession Act.