When you hire a legal professional, you expect them to protect your money and handle your business with care. A former Fredericton lawyer failed to meet those basic standards and now faces a massive financial penalty.

The Law Society of New Brunswick disbarred Stephen Hill for professional misconduct. He now owes approximately $1.4 million to cover compensation payments, legal fees, and investigation costs.

A Pattern of Misconduct

According to a report from The Canadian Press, the law society discipline committee found Hill guilty of 29 professional misconduct complaints. These complaints involve misappropriating client funds, failing to complete work, and ignoring law society inquiries.

Joleen Dable serves as the registrar of complaints and deputy executive director of the law society. She notes a clear pattern in the grievances.

“[Clients] would have paid Mr. Hill for services and either the services weren’t rendered or part of the services were rendered, or he would have kept the money,” Dable said. “There’s a pattern there in all complaints.”

Massive Financial Losses

The law society stepped in to reimburse several of Hill’s former clients using its compensation fund. Some individuals handed over hundreds of thousands of dollars for mortgage transactions, only to have those funds misappropriated.

“There are significant amounts we’re talking about,” Dable said. “One complainant was out $400,000, another one $300,000.”

Dable confirmed this is the highest compensation amount she has seen in her six years with the organization. Hill has one year from the decision date to repay the $1.4 million.

Delays and Disbarment

The disciplinary process faced multiple delays. Hill requested several extensions, pushing his initial hearing back significantly. At one point, his legal counsel requested an adjournment because Hill spent five days incarcerated for civil contempt. The committee denied that specific request and moved forward.

Ultimately, the committee ruled that Hill admitted guilt by failing to respond to the complaints by the required deadline. The law society officially disbarred him on August 31.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Stephen Hill disbarred?

The Law Society of New Brunswick disbarred Hill after finding him guilty of 29 professional misconduct complaints. These included misappropriating client funds and failing to complete legal work.

How much money does the former lawyer owe?

Hill owes approximately $1.4 million. This covers client compensation payments, investigation costs, and legal fees incurred by the law society.

Did clients get their money back?

Yes. The Law Society of New Brunswick used its compensation fund to reimburse clients who lost money during real estate and mortgage transactions handled by Hill.