A lawyer from Chatham has been found guilty of professional misconduct by a Law Society Tribunal.
As a result, the Law Society has suspended Jeffery Michael James Rehner's licence for two months, starting on Monday.
Tribunal officials said Rehner engaged in professional misconduct by failing to serve his client, failing to answer communications with "reasonable promptness," failing to be honest and candid with his client and failing to return his client’s retainer funds.
He has also been ordered to pay $5,000 in costs to the Law Society on or before the deadline of January 21, 2021. If he doesn't pay up by the deadline, he will face interest of three per cent a year on any unpaid part of those costs.
"Contrary to Rule 3.1-2 and 3.2-1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, the respondent failed to serve his client, LS, by failing to provide responsive documents in his possession to opposing counsel in a timely fashion to satisfy LS’s undertakings and failing to communicate with LS in an effective manner," the Law Society order stated.
The tribunal said Rehner failed to be honest and candid with his client by failing to promptly and fully disclose to his client what had transpired in proceedings.
Rehner started his law practice in 2002 and specializes in family and criminal law.
