Vancouver, February 14, 2019 – The Law Society of British Columbia acts to protect the public against individuals who hold themselves out to be lawyers when they are not.
From November 17, 2018, to January 29, 2019, the Law Society obtained written commitments from three individuals and businesses to stop engaging in unauthorized practice of law. If they break their promise, the Law Society may obtain a court order against them. These individuals and businesses put the public at risk by performing unregulated and uninsured legal services or misrepresenting themselves as lawyers.
During that time period, the Law Society also obtained orders prohibiting the individuals and business below from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.
On November 9, 2018, Madam Justice Maisonville granted an injunction prohibiting O’Neil Constantine Parchment, of Port Alberni, from engaging in the practice of law, from representing himself as a lawyer, advocate, or otherwise capable or qualified to engage in the practice of law, and from commencing, prosecuting or defending proceedings in any court on behalf of others. The court found that Parchment, a vexatious litigant, breached the Legal Profession Act by commencing and prosecuting habeas corpus proceedings on behalf of three incarcerated clients and by representing himself as a prisoners’ legal advocate.
DZP Management Ltd. and AKL Management Ltd. (doing business as Family Law Centre and www.familylawcentre.com), Daniel Rolin and Ian Rolin, all of Toronto, consented to an order prohibiting them from engaging in the practice of law for a fee; from commencing, prosecuting or defending a proceeding on behalf of another; and from representing themselves as lawyers, a law firm or any other title that connotes that they are qualified or entitled to practise law. The Law Society alleged that these parties engaged in the unauthorized practice of law by providing legal advice and referring clients to the services of a lawyer in BC for a fee. They agreed to pay the Law Society $5,000, representing costs and restitution to former clients.
Wesley Robert Stevenson, also known as Wes Stevenson; Kristine Loretta Stevenson, also known as Kirsty Stevenson or Kristy Bieker; and Okanagan Divorce Solutions Inc., all doing business as www.kelownadivorce.ca, Kelowna Divorce Mediation Services and Kelowna Divorce Mediation, consented to an order prohibiting them from engaging in the practice of law for a fee, from commencing, prosecuting or defending a proceeding on behalf of another and from representing themselves as lawyers or any other title that connotes that they are qualified or entitled to practise law. The Law Society alleged that Stevenson and Bieker engaged in the unauthorized practice of law by providing legal advice and preparing divorce documents for a fee, including separation agreements, parenting plans and court filings.
On January 23, 2019, Mr. Justice Groves granted an injunction prohibiting Peter Ross Mouck, also known as Peter-Ross Mouck and Peter Ross of the Mouck Family, of Sooke, from engaging in the practice of law, from representing himself as a lawyer or any other title that connotes that he is qualified or entitled to practise law and from commencing, prosecuting and defending proceedings in any court on behalf of others. The court awarded the Law Society $2,700 in costs.
To read the orders, search by name in the Law Society’s database of unauthorized practitioners.
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For further information contact:
David Jordan
Communications Officer
604-443-5708
djordan@lsbc.org