David Leslie Schaefer.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK: The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce
August 19, 2022 - 6:00 AM
A prominent Vernon lawyer has been accused by the B.C. Law Society of misappropriating more than $11,000 while he was acting as the power attorney for two clients who were living in a care home.
According to a June 28 Law Society of B.C. Tribunal citation, David Leslie Schaefer stands accused of withdrawing $11,400 from the personal bank account of the clients when he was not entitled to the funds.
"This conduct constitutes professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming the profession," the Law Society citation says.
The Law Society also accuses Schaefer of misleading the organization.
The citation says Schaefer told the Law Society that the cash withdrawals from the clients' bank account were to provide allowances to the couple at their care facilities.
The Law Society also alleges that Schaefer told the organization that he saw one of the clients regularly.
The legal regulator says that Schaefer "knew, or ought to have known" that the two statements were "misleading or false."
The citation says the allegations took place between January 2019 and April 2020.
According to the Law Society Schaefer has been registered to practice law in B.C. since 1985.
Schaefer was a past president of the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Vernon Association, and the Vernon Bar Association, and has served as a director with Funtastic.
None of the allegations have been proven and no date as yet has been scheduled for a Law Society hearing.
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