Law Society Tribunal Regulatory Proceedings for August 2014

For Immediate Release Sept. 11, 2014

News Release

Toronto: 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 provided.

The Law Society Tribunal recently heard the following matters. The Tribunal, which is an independent administrative tribunal within the Law Society, is responsible for processing, hearing and deciding these cases.

Roderick John Byrnes (1987) de Toronto Décision : À la suite des ordonnances en date du 6 décembre 2013 et du 9 mai 2014, l’appelant doit payer des dépens de 20 000 $.

Meerai Cho (2002) of the City of Toronto Decision: The Lawyer was suspended on an interim interlocutory basis.

Roy Francis DMello (1998) of the Town of Oakville Decision: The Lawyer shall be reprimanded.

Garth Howard Drabinsky (1975) of the City of Toronto Further to the Decision and Order of July 17, 2014, the Lawyer is to pay costs to the Law Society of $20,000.

Ashley Elizabeth Anne Hartwick (2012) of the City of St. Catharines Decision: The Paralegal was reprimanded.

Leah Michelle Henderson (2009) of the City of Toronto Decision: The appeal is allowed and a suspension of two months is substituted, commencing effective March 3, 2014.

Ronald Arthur Jefferies (1983) of the City of Hamilton Decision: The Lawyer is suspended immediately and continuing indefinitely until he has provided medical evidence satisfactory to the Executive Director, Professional Regulation that (a) he is capable of meeting his obligations as a licensee or (b) that his illness can be managed by following a prescribed course of treatment and he has given an Undertaking and Acknowledgement, in which he undertakes to comply with the prescribed course of treatment and such further restrictions or conditions on his ability to

1/3 practise law in Ontario, which satisfies the Director that the Lawyer is able to meet any and all of his obligations as a Licensee.

Jack Stephen Lambert (1973) of the City of Toronto Decision: The Lawyer shall be suspended for 20 months, starting on the date of the conclusion of his administrative suspension. On his return to practice, the Lawyer will be subject to specified conditions.

Timothy Edward Leahy (1991) of the Town of Van Buren, Maine Decision: The Lawyer is suspended for four months, starting September 1, 2014, and continuing indefinitely until he has met specified terms and conditions.

Susan Kathleen Le Blanc (2010) of the City of Belleville Decision: The Paralegal was granted permission to surrender her licence to provide legal services. If the Paralegal does not surrender her licence by August 31, 2014, the Paralegal’s licence will be revoked.

David Hugh Molson (1996) of the City of Toronto The Respondent is granted permission to surrender his licence to practise law by August 31, 2014.

Severin Nkolla Ndema Moussa (2003) d'Ottawa Décision : Le titulaire de permis est suspendu indéfiniment jusqu’à ce qu’il ait fourni une réponse complète aux demandes faites par le Barreau à la satisfaction de la directrice exécutive de la réglementation professionnelle du Barreau.

Victor Nnamdi Opara (2005) of the City of Toronto The Law Society’s appeal from the Decision and Order dated October 24, 2013, is allowed, and a new hearing is ordered.

Robert Joseph Potomski (2008) of the City of Windsor Decision: The Paralegal’s application for a determination of whether he had met the terms and conditions of two previous orders of the Hearing Panel was dismissed.

Kelly James Smith (2001) of the Town of Oakville Decision: The Lawyer shall be reprimanded.

Erwin John Weisdorf (1956) of the City of Toronto Decision: The Lawyer was prohibited from practising law in the area of statutory accident benefits from August 1 to 12, 2014;The Lawyer’s licence to practise law is suspended on an interlocutory basis and the Society shall conduct its investigations respecting the Lawyer with due diligence.

Thelma Pushparanee Williams (1998) of the City of Toronto Decision: The Lawyer’s licence is revoked, effective September 10, 2014. She shall comply with the guidelines for lawyers whose licences have been revoked.

2/3 More information about the Tribunal process can be found on the new Law Society Tribunal website.

Reasons for decisions when provided by the panel are available on the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) website.

Information about upcoming hearings is available here.

Notices of Application and Referral for Hearing are available here.

John Richard Battaglio [Paralegal] Community of Greensville, Notice of Application, Conduct, Filed on August 6, 2014

Jeunesse Leelawatie Hosein [Lawyer] City of Toronto, Notice of Application, Conduct, Filed on August 7, 2014

Jussi Justaa Kivisto [Lawyer] City of Boca Raton, FL, Notice of Application, Conduct, Filed on July 24, 2014

Michael James Munro [Lawyer] City of Toronto, Notice of Application, Conduct, Filed on July 31, 2014

Stanley James Thomas [Lawyer] City of Sudbury, Notice of Application, Conduct, Filed on July 28, 2014

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If you require a copy of any specific decision, please contact Lisa Hall, Communications Manager, (416) 947-7625, [email protected]

The Law Society of Upper Canada Osgoode Hall 130 Queen St. W. Toronto, Ont., M5H 2N6