We have an outstanding track record of success defending professionals in career threatening enforcement action brought by self-regulatory organizations in the:
- Legal profession such as the Law Society of British Columbia and the Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia
- Financial Industry and accounting profession such as the BC Securities Commission, Alberta Securities Commission, Ontario Securities Commission, Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, Mutual Fund Dealers Association, Financial Institutions Commission, Chartered Professional Accountants and others
- Health Professions such as the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, College of Psychologists of British Columbia, College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia, College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia, College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia and others
- Engineering profession such as the Engineers & Geoscientists BC,
- Clergy who face discipline by religious institutions
- Athletes and other Athletic Personnel (see Sports Law and Litigation)
Our experience defending professionals covers the full gamut of investigations arising from complaints, audits, and even undercover operations to the full spectrum of enforcement actions beginning with investigations through to hearings and appeals. We take on complicated disciplinary matters with parallel civil suits, audits and criminal investigations as we have the unique capability to advise and successfully represent professional clients facing multiple enforcement bodies and law suits. On occasion we will act for disciplinary organizations to conduct investigations and prosecute at hearings on their behalf.
We pride ourselves in having the experience, judgment and confidence to advise our clients when/how to resolve matters through the investigative stage and when to take it to a full hearing and beyond. Our recent successes include the termination of enforcement actions during the investigative stage with no action taken on very serious allegations ranging from sexual misconduct to fraud to incompetence and to breach of trust as well as other serious allegations. Among our most satisfying victories was for a lawyer whom we represented at a full hearing who faced the first ever allegation of perjury committed during a trial with the citation dismissed in its entirety after a full hearing before a panel of the Law Society of BC thereby achieving a full acquittal for our client along with the costs paid to our client by the LSBC for their failed prosecution.
We bring the same intensity to defending professionals facing potentially career-ending action as we do in defending our clients’ liberty in criminal cases. We are responsive, accessible, and committed to our clients 24/7 and can be reached outside of regular business hours to address urgent matters such as spot audits, demands for production, search warrants and other investigative techniques as they happen in real-time.
