Law Society of B.C. Disbars Longtime Lawyer Hong Guo
In a recent decision, the Law Society of British Columbia has disbarred lawyer Hong Guo, citing her extensive disciplinary history and failure to cooperate with regulators. Guo, based in the city of Richmond, has faced numerous misconduct findings since 2012, including mishandling trust funds, misrepresentations to clients, conflicts of interest, failure to supervise staff, and breaches of orders.
The tribunal panel’s ruling, issued on Monday, labeled Guo as ungovernable due to her consistent lack of response to Law Society inquiries and a tendency to engage in misleading behavior towards both the society and her clients. The decision also highlighted Guo’s failure to take steps to educate herself on her responsibilities, train her staff, or effectively organize her practice. The panel expressed concern that Guo saw herself as a victim, displaying little insight into the findings made against her.
Practicing law is seen as a privilege by the Law Society, and lawyers are expected to respect and abide by the rules governing their conduct. The panel emphasized the need for lawyers to deal with the society in an honest, open, and forthright manner at all times. Guo’s conduct demonstrated a lack of adherence to these principles.
Despite Guo’s defense that her actions did not adversely affect her clients and that she did not financially benefit from her misconduct, the tribunal found those arguments insufficient. Guo’s failure to supervise her bookkeeper, her disregard for the Law Society’s trust accounting rules, and her provision of pre-signed blank trust cheques contributed to two employees stealing $7.5 million in trust funds in 2016. To cover the shortfall, Guo had to contribute $2.6 million of her family’s own money.
The panel also acknowledged Guo’s claim to fulfill a need for legal services in the Mandarin and Cantonese communities. However, they placed little weight on reference letters speaking to her reputation in the Chinese community. The panel stated that the Chinese-Canadian community deserves lawyers who operate in compliance with the Law Society’s oversight, rather than those who bend the rules and disregard regulations.
In addition to disbarring Guo, the tribunal ordered her to pay the Law Society’s costs for the hearings.
This decision serves as a reminder to all lawyers that the privilege of practicing law comes with the responsibility to adhere to professional standards and regulations. The case of Hong Guo underscores the importance of transparency, cooperation, and integrity in the legal profession, as well as the need to prioritize the best interests of clients.
