Ryan v. Law Society (New Brunswick), (2003) 2003 CarswellNB 145 (S.C.C.)
Michael Ryan, a New Brunswick lawyer, was disbarred by the province’s law society after he misled two of his clients about the status of their wrongful dismissal claim.
Over a five-and-a-half-year period, he took no action on their behalf and spun an elaborate web of deceit. He even gave his clients a judgement from the New Brunswick Court of Appeal, a seven-page document he forged himself.
It said they had been awarded $19,000 and $18,000 respectively in damages for wrongful dismissal. He then invented delays and appeal periods that prevented them from collecting the damages.
After years of deceit, he finally admitted to his clients over the telephone that the, “whole thing was a lie.” Ryan’s defense was that he was suffering from emotional and physical health problems after separating from his wife.
Michael Ryan, a New Brunswick lawyer, was disbarred by the province’s law society after he misled two of his clients about the status of their wrongful dismissal claim.
Over a five-and-a-half-year period, he took no action on their behalf and spun an elaborate web of deceit. He even gave his clients a judgement from the New Brunswick Court of Appeal, a seven-page document he forged himself.
It said they had been awarded $19,000 and $18,000 respectively in damages for wrongful dismissal. He then invented delays and appeal periods that prevented them from collecting the damages.
After years of deceit, he finally admitted to his clients over the telephone that the, “whole thing was a lie.” Ryan’s defense was that he was suffering from emotional and physical health problems after separating from his wife.
