A paralegal in Chatham has been reprimanded and will have to pay $3,000 to the Law Society of Ontario for professional misconduct.
The Law Society Tribunal alleges in a report that between March 2016 and June 2019, Charles Jason Dudley failed to "serve his client to the standard of a competent paralegal."
In addition, it's alleged that in June 2016, Dudley misapplied and/or mishandled approximately $300 of the trust funds of a client. Dudley also allegedly failed to return the same client's file upon his discharge.
The Law Society Tribunal also reported that Dudley failed to respond promptly and completely to communications with the law society between July 2018 and June 2019.
As a result, Dudley's licence will be suspended for one month, effective April 8.
He also has to pay $3,000 to the Law Society of Ontario within two years. If payment isn’t made by then, interest will accrue on any unpaid part of the costs at two per cent each year.
Dudley became a licenced paralegal in 2013.