THUNDER BAY — The Law Society Tribunal recently launched separate investigations into a pair of Thunder Bay lawyers for allegedly engaging in professional misconduct.
The Law Society of Ontario is investigating unproven allegations against Gino Louis Arnone and Theodore Lee Scollie. Both lawyers are listed as practicing at Ericksons LLP in Thunder Bay.
The society issued lawyer Gino Louis Arnone a regulatory notice filed on Nov. 26 which alleges he misappropriated approximately $27,000 of proceeds of a sale received and held in trust on behalf of clients of another partner at his firm in April 2017. Arnone allegedly mishandled some or all of this money, according to an online notice of application regarding conduct.
Between December 2016 and August 2018, it’s alleged Arnone while personally adverse in the interest to the clients of another partner in his firm, acted where there was a conflict of interest by allegedly accessing and making use of confidential solicitor-client privileged information including files of the clients of another partner in his firm and disbursing trust funds belonging to clients of another partner at his firm contrary to the clients’ instructions.
Furthermore, the society also alleges Arnone met with, communicated and acted for the clients of another partner in his firm with respect to a real estate transaction as well as two litigation matters and in March 2017 while acting for his clients on a real estate transaction, he mishandled trust funds by removing those funds without first delivering a fee billing.
Lawyer Theodore Lee Scollie was also served with a notice of application on Nov. 26 by the Law Society Tribunal.
The online notice alleges between December 2016 and August 2018, Scollie who was acting for his clients on a real estate transaction acted where there was a conflict of interest by allowing confidential and solicitor privileged information to be accessed and used by another partner at his firm whose personal interests were adverse to those of his clients.
In addition, the society alleges Scollie failed to prevent another partner at his firm to disburse his clients’ trust funds that were contrary to his clients’ instructions and that preferred the interests of the partner’s client and the firm.
In another allegation between December 2016 and August 2018, while representing a client in a real estate transaction he failed to provide legal services to his clients to the standard of a competent lawyer. He is also accused of failing to communicate in a timely and effective manner to meet with his clients despite multiple requests to do so by his clients and failing to follow his clients’ instructions.
Furthermore, Scollie is also accused of failing to supervise and instruct a real estate clerk and improperly delegate tasks to a non-lawyer between December 2016 and August 2018.
In March 2017, it is alleged Scollie while acting on behalf of his clients for a real estate transaction mishandled trust funds by removing those funds without first delivering a fee billing.
Arnone and Scollie are scheduled for a proceeding management conference on Dec. 21, according to a Law Society Tribunal spokesperson. After this proceeding takes place, a hearing is likely to be scheduled.
Tbnewswatch.com reached out to both lawyers prior to publication but neither lawyer has yet responded to comment on the allegations.
