Ahmed Dharsi LLP obtained judgment in excess of $550,000, including full indemnity costs, against a lawyer who embezzled trust funds from our clients following the sale of their family business.

Our clients had retained the defendant, a lawyer in practice for over 47 years, to act on the transaction. The proceeds were deposited into his trust account and confirmed by a Trust Ledger Statement. Despite repeated admissions and promises to pay, the funds were never remitted. The defendant ultimately failed to appear in court, and his license to practice law was suspended on an interlocutory basis.

The court found the defendant had breached his contractual, fiduciary, and trust obligations, and granted judgment for the full amount owing plus legal costs on a full indemnity basis due to the egregious misconduct involved.

Significance

This case demonstrates the court’s willingness to enforce accountability in situations of professional misconduct, particularly where clients’ trust funds are misappropriated by legal professionals. It also reflects the power of clear, decisive litigation strategy in high-stakes matters where delay and evasion are tactics employed by the opposing side.