Alleged day in court draws penalty

A Canadian lawyer has been suspended from practice for one month by the Law Society of British Colombia after he tried to delay a Law Society disciplinary hearing by claiming he was scheduled to be in court the same day.

Andrew James Liggett was the subject of a hearing set for 24 September 2010, but he indicated that he was scheduled to be in court that day for the second day of a two-day trial. However, Liggett already knew that the second day of the trial had been adjourned when he faxed the Law Society an outdated notice of trial.

The Law Society of British Colombia panel which heard the evidence decided that Liggett acted recklessly but not with an intent to mislead the Society in this misrepresentation. His actions were considered serious misconduct.

A panel has ordered Liggett to be suspended for one month, starting 1 March 2012. It also ordered him to pay $6,000 in costs.