High-profile lawyer gets 1-month suspension for professional misconduct

Christian Michaud, a substantial-profile Moncton-place law firm, and former president of the Law Modern society of New Brunswick, has been given a one particular-thirty day period suspension from a disciplinary panel right after he was observed to have breached confidentiality and other procedures of qualified carry out.

Michaud was the topic of a grievance filed to the law modern society on Feb. 4, 2021, by his estranged spouse.

She accused Michaud of sending her e-mail that bundled confidential information about his clientele and his former organization, of producing threats these kinds of as to wage “authorized war,” and of regularly failing to comply with right legal channels during the course of action of his divorce.

The complainant notified the modern society she wished to withdraw the criticism a couple of months afterwards, but the registrar of complaints made the decision to carry on the investigation.

“We nonetheless had queries that we essential answered,” stated Joleen Dable, registrar and deputy govt director of the legislation modern society.

Michaud has experienced a high profile in New Brunswick — he co-represents former Campbellton doctor Jean-Robert Ngola, who was accused in 2020 of breaking COVID-19 guidelines by failing to isolate and of currently being the supply of a fatal outbreak. Michaud was also accused of public nudity in 2020 following consuming what he explained were “the improper sort of mushrooms.”

‘Terrible errors,’ states Michaud

In his reaction to the complaint posted on the law culture web-site, Michaud acknowledged possessing despatched e-mail that contained private information and known as them “awful issues,” made in haste.

In a single email, meant to enable his then-spouse know they could depart on holiday vacation with no be concerned, he forwarded facts of a client’s out-of-court settlement.

In a few of some others, intended to seek out particular advice, he talked about a achievable conflict of curiosity on the element of a different lawyer and a proposed new company relationship with the company he used to work for. 

“I was working with my responsibility to execute as a husband or wife of that firm and my obligations to make sure you my husband or wife.”

Michaud’s response suggests he still left that business and set up his own, Libersolus, in early 2020.

Any suspension, regardless of whether it is really a month or two weeks, it is really a big offer.-Norm Bossé, Law Culture of New Brunswick

He contracted her to provide administrative assistance and office administration in March 2020, and a couple of weeks later they separated.

At first, they applied a mediation system for the duration of which Michaud represented himself.

Michaud claimed he considered they’d achieved an agreement, but his wife ended up not signing it and choosing a different attorney.

Which is when some of the other factors of the criticism originated:

• That Michaud despatched an electronic mail to his estranged wife’s lawyer declaring “We are going to make war.”

• That he contacted her lawyer immediately and repeatedly “in a threatening tone and with a threatening articles.”

• That he threatened to start a new legal action towards her and file a code of carry out complaint about her attorney.

The code of conduct for legal professionals claims they’re not allowed to make that variety of risk. They are also meant to chorus from communicating with one more attorney without the need of consent or in abusive, offensive or unprofessional means, be courteous and civil, and discharge their obligations with integrity.

“I admit that the tone of my emails showed some aggravation with the problem,” wrote Michaud.

He mentioned his reference to “going to war” intended he knew that with out an arrangement, they’d finish up in litigation.

He said he was representing himself on sure “simple and trivial” features of the divorce to conserve income. And that his attorney was not able to represent him “simply because of the pandemic and the simple fact that she had a younger child at residence, which minimal her skill to travel to the judicial district.” 

Michaud at some point retained a new attorney and the divorce was settled.

Suspensions ‘a big offer,’ suggests modern society

He and his lawyer at the disciplinary hearing, Sacha Morisset, submitted a joint submission with Norm Bossé, senior in-property counsel for willpower with the legislation society, recommending a one-month suspension be taken by Sept 1.

The panel requested a mounted day, following which Michaud’s law firm proposed April 1-30, in buy to minimize the impacts on many others and allow for him to meet his commitments with purchasers.

Michaud was also ordered to fork out $5,000 in authorized expenses to the modern society.

Any suspension represents a considerable reprimand, stated Bossé.

“It can be a big deal simply because suspensions, the recognize of suspension is presented to to start with of all the community by way of the internet site, there’s an announcement in the papers, it goes to all the judiciary, it goes to the whole system of attorneys — the legislation society. 

“And … your clients when they see that kind of speculate, ‘What’s heading on here?’ So to me, any suspension, whether or not it is a thirty day period or two months, it really is a major deal.”