THUNDER BAY - A hearing will be held later this spring to determine if Thunder Bay lawyer, Christopher Watkins, will remain under a temporary suspension from practicing law.
The Law Society of Ontario held a case management conference in Toronto last month and all parties agreed to hold a hearing in Thunder Bay on March 5 to hear the interlocutory suspension motion.
The motion for an interlocutory suspension of Watkins' law license was first filed by the Law Society Tribunal Hearing Division on Oct. 3.
The motion alleges that Watkins repeatedly failed to attend court for his clients, failed to adequately communicate with clients, and his behaviour “causing prejudice to his clients and to the public interest in the administration of justice.”
“There are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a significant risk of harm to members of the public, or to the public interest in the administration of justice, if the order is not made and that making the order is likely to reduce the risk,” the motion reads.
The hearing to be held in March will determine if the interlocutory suspension of Watkins license will continue before proceeding to a hearing on the merits of the case.
Watkins said in October that he was caught up in a series of unpredictable circumstances and events and apologized to his clients.
Watkins was found guilty in 2001 of professional misconduct for acting in conflict of interest, failing to serve two clients, breaching duty to three clients, and failing to fulfil an undertaking given to a fellow solicitor. As a result, his license was suspended for 15 days.
