The recent release of Law Society of B.C. reveals that West Vancouver Mayor, Mark Sager, has been banned from practicing law for two years after he agreed that he committed three instances of professional misconduct while he was handling a friend’s estate.
According to the society, Sager admitted that he acted in a conflict of interest by failing to make sure his client received independent legal advice over the arrangement.
Also, he admitted to withdrawing $44,800 in executor’s fees and $26,790,81 in care and management fees from the estate funds before he got approval to do so.
Sager admitted further that he did not maintain proper records and did not contact four charities that were listed as beneficiaries on the will for around nine years.
The society issued Sager a citation listing these allegations in September 2022, a month before he was elected Mayor.
The agreement between Sager and the lawyer says he invoiced the estate and reimbursed himself over $162,800 in travel expenses, visiting the sister of his client in England no fewer than 18 times until she died in 2019, without obtaining approval from the beneficiaries or the court.
The agreement also says he mistakenly billed the estate for many personal purchases he made from clothing store AllSaints Jacks Place, department store Harrods, leather goods store Smythson, and a stay at a hotel in France.
It says he withdrew $2,954.80 from different bank accounts belonging to the client for “funeral costs,” mistakenly reimbursing himself twice for the same cost.
Also, he issued a cheque for $2,000 to the Kay Meek Arts Centre, despite the centre not listed as a beneficiary of the will.
The agreement notes that besides the suspension, Sager volunteered to repay to the estate a total of $40,857.66, which comprises the mistaken expenses, half of the executor’s fees and management fees.
A statement from Sager read: “When I was elected mayor, I committed to leaving my legal practice to devote all of my time to the important issues facing West Vancouver. Unfortunately, complaints to the law society delayed my resignation [from the society].
“As of April 1, I will resign from membership with the law society and refocus my complete attention on our community.”
