Lawyer to Chinese migrant millionaires hoping for life in Canada is disbarred

Prominent Toronto lawyer Tim Leahy, who organised a failed lawsuit by a mostly-Chinese group of millionaires dumped from Canada’s immigration queue last year, has been disbarred by Ontario’s law society.

Leahy was struck off last month for professional misconduct for having practised law in relation to two clients while under a previous 60-day suspension that was issued in 2012.

Leahy said in an email on Sunday that he would not be appealing against the law society tribunal’s December 10 decision. “No, the Law Society and I are divorced,” he said. “I will not waste my time and energy in its make-believe pseudo-courts.”

Other reasons cited for Leahy’s disbarment included communicating with a third client in an unprofessional manner and failing to “maintain the integrity of the legal profession” in his dealings with that same client. He was also found to have practised law through a company, Forefront Migration Ltd, that did not have the authorisation of the society, and to have failed to co-operate with the society in its investigations.

In a press release issued last week, Leahy referred to Law Society members involved in the revocation of his licence as “quislings” and “henchmen” in cahoots with members of the bench who were acting against him. He said he was the victim of a “vendetta” by a judge who he said was part of an “effort to destroy [my] reputation and practice”.

Leahy has a long history of combative dealings with Canada’s immigration authorities and courts. He has previously made unproven accusations that judges acted against him and his clients to curry favour with the government and secure promotions.