The case of Andrew Lau, a Vancouver-based lawyer, serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can arise from a breach of trust between lawyers and their clients. The Law Society Tribunal found Lau guilty of professional misconduct and stripped him of his license to practice law, following his inappropriate use of over $14,000 of his client’s trust funds.

Between March and November 2018, Lau took money from his client’s trust funds without providing adequate legal services or rendering any legal services at all.

He also failed to remit the taxes collected from his clients to the appropriate officials. Furthermore, Lau breached the Law Society Rules and Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia by failing to pay the Trust Administration Fee within the stipulated 30 days.

Andrew Lau Vancouver lawyer

Lau’s misconduct also extended to failing to notify the Law Society Executive Director of the unsatisfied monetary judgment filed against his law corporation in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in July 2019. He also withdrew funds from the trust account without first delivering a bill to his clients, which is contrary to the Legal Profession Act.

According to statistics, over a six-year period, over 100 lawyers faced disciplinary action from the BC Law Society, with conflict of interest, failure to communicate, and trust account irregularities being the most common breaches. These breaches can be detrimental to clients who trust lawyers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. Lau’s disbarment serves as a tragic example of how this trust can be shattered.

It is essential to recognize that lawyers play a crucial role in our society, and their actions can have far-reaching consequences. Any deviation from the highest standards of professionalism and integrity can harm clients and the legal system as a whole. Therefore, it is vital that lawyers uphold the trust of their clients and maintain the highest standards of professionalism.

Personal financial difficulties

The Law Society of BC’s scathing ruling disbarred Lau for his professional misconduct, including his unethical behaviour of misappropriating $14,336 held in trust on behalf of his clients.

Lau also failed to remit GST and PST collected from clients, using the funds to support his own personal financial difficulties. This serves as a reminder that lawyers must uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism to prevent devastating consequences for their clients and the legal system.

The Law Society of BC has found Andrew Lau, a lawyer who specialized in various legal areas, guilty of misconduct. The hearing panel concluded that his actions were a “marked departure” from the standards expected of lawyers.

Betrayed the trust of his clients

Lau failed to remit a trust administration fee to society, but the most serious of his six allegations was the misappropriation of trust funds. The BC Law Society described this as being similar to theft, despite Lau paying the amounts he owed eventually.

As a result of the Law Societies’ ruling, Lau has been disbarred and is no longer able to practice law in British Columbia. This decision is appropriate for someone who betrayed the trust of his clients and the legal profession.

Lau’s actions erode public trust in lawyers and the legal system as a whole. They reinforce negative stereotypes about the legal profession, with only 40% of Canadians believing that lawyers act in the public interest, according to a recent survey by the Canadian Bar Association.

Andrew Lau Vancouver lawyer

The disbarment of Andrew Lau sends a clear message that the legal profession will not tolerate unethical behaviour. Misconduct will not be tolerated, and all lawyers will be held to the highest ethical standards. The Law Society of BC’s decisive action serves as a warning to all lawyers that there are consequences to one’s actions.

He must pay $5,500 in costs to the Law Society within 60 days of the release of this decision. Lau claimed that he was going through a period of personal and financial difficulties, but his attempts to defend his actions were in vain.

The legal profession has a high standard of ethics and professionalism, which is essential for maintaining the public’s trust in the system. Lau’s actions have broken this trust and caused a great deal of damage to his reputation and career. It is distressing to see that a qualified legal professional has been disbarred due to his negligence and lack of professionalism.

According to the Law Society’s statistics, approximately 14,000 lawyers practiced in British Columbia in 2021, and around 250 lawyers were disbarred or suspended in the past decade due to disciplinary actions. These numbers highlight the significant responsibility that legal professionals carry and the importance of upholding ethical and professional standards.

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B.C. Lawyer Disbarred for Misusing $14k: Andrew Lau Case