Vernon Law Courts (Vernon Matters photo)

By Pete McIntyre

Law Society of B.C.

Vernon lawyer suspended for misconduct

Jun 4, 2024 | 1:00 PM

A Vernon lawyer has been given a five month suspension by the Law Society of British Columbia after admitting to professional misconduct.

The society said the suspension to M. Shane Dugas started on June 1, 2024 and continues until Oct. 31, 2024.

He has also been referred to the Practice Standards Committee, and upon his return to practice, will only be allowed to operate a trust account with an approved second signatory who is a practising lawyer.

“Dugas admitted that he committed a wide range of misconduct, including by misappropriating or improperly handling funds by depositing money into his personal account instead of a trust account, failing to maintain proper accounting records, failing to correct and report trust shortages, filing incorrect trust reports, maintaining funds that were not related to legal services in his trust account, and failing to honour a trust condition,” the society said in a news release on its website.

M. Shane Dugas (photo courtesy of LinkedIn)

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The society added it appeared that Dugas’ misconduct was caused by gross negligence.

“Additionally, from 2014 to 2022, he failed to file and remit GST, PST, and payroll source deductions in a timely manner,” the release said.

In accepting the consent agreement, the Law Society took into consideration his prior professional conduct record, which includes a 2013 conduct review for taking funds from trust for legal fees prior to issuing bills.

The society said Dugas became a member of the Law Society of B.C. in August 2008. Since then, he has worked at two firms in Vernon, including his own firm, Dugas Law, which he opened in April 2011.

He practises primarily in the areas of administrative law and civil litigation.

The Law Society of British Columbia is the licensing and regulatory body for lawyers in the province.