Vernon lawyer Leonard Marriott.
Image Credit: North Valley Law
June 29, 2023 - 6:00 PM
A Vernon lawyer stands accused of misappropriating $27,000 from a client.
According to a June 14 Law Society of BC citation, lawyer Leonard Hil Marriott is alleged to have "misappropriated" $26,760 of a client's money.
Marriott was acting as the executor and trustee of the former client's estate in March 2019 when he took the money.
The citation also says he "improperly withdrew" a further $71,149.12 in executor fees from a trust even though the beneficiary hadn't given the OK and the correct procedures weren't followed.
"You failed to provide the quality of service required of a competent lawyer," the citation reads.
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Separately, Marriott is also awaiting a Law Society hearing and stands accused of giving false or misleading information in a filing he made to the B.C. Supreme Court. A citation on this matter was issued in December 2022.
In the current matter, the Law Society accuses Marriott of professional misconduct over the handling of a will and estates matter from July 2018 to February 2019.
The Law Society says Marriott, who owns North Valley Law, failed to determine the status of a "society" as a legal entity when he drafted the will naming the "society" as a beneficiary.
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He also gave the client's unsigned will to a beneficiary and failed to review a final draft of the will before it was signed.
Marriott failed to make sure the will was properly executed, the Law Society says.
"This conduct constitutes professional misconduct or incompetent performance of duties," the citation reads.
A recent court filing shows that Marriott owes the Canada Revenue Agency $175,000 and has unpaid court judgements for child support in Ontario for more than $63,000. The court has ordered the sale of a 10-acre piece of land in Enderby now on the market for $550,000.
None of the allegations have been proven.
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