Vernon lawyer David Schaefer suspended for one month

Vernon lawyer David Leslie Schaefer has received a one-month suspension for committing professional misconduct. The suspension will commence on March 1, 2024.

Schaefer admitted that while acting for two clients for whom he was granted powers of attorney, he improperly handled some or all of $11,400.93. He did so by inadvertently making nine withdrawals from their bank accounts for his own personal use and by not maintaining accurate or adequate records in relation to various cash withdrawals from their bank accounts.

In accepting a joint submission made by the Law Society and Schaefer, the hearing panel took into consideration that the conduct took place over 15 months and constituted at least 42 separate breaches, and there was no evidence the clients suffered financial harm as the funds were credited back to them after the errors were discovered. The severity of the misconduct was compounded by the vulnerability of Schaefer’s clients and his failure to identify and prevent the repeated misuse of client funds for personal use. The hearing panel also considered that Schaefer acknowledged his misconduct, and that he voluntarily completed legal accounting courses and a course on acting for clients with dementia.

For the panel’s detailed reasons, see the decision of the hearing panel.