Katrina Sriranpong

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Katrina Sriranpong, a BC immigration lawyer, admitted professional misconduct for improperly handling $72,703.04 in client funds across 22 files (2016-2018) by using personal bank accounts instead of a trust account, failing to document informed client consent to treat advance fees as her own property, and failing to maintain required accounting records. Under a Rule 3-7.1 consent agreement, she agreed to a three-month suspension and completed trust accounting courses. No dishonesty was found; no financial benefit or client loss occurred, and she self-reported and cooperated.

Duties found breached:

• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Mitigating factors:

• No prior professional conduct record
• Junior lawyer (4-6 years experience) with no in-practice trust accounting training
• Self-reported conduct and cooperated with investigation
• Sought early resolution through consent agreement
• Remorseful and acknowledged wrongdoing
• No financial benefit gained and no client loss; all work completed
• Positive client relationships and supporting letters
• Contributions to legal profession and society, including work with refugees and vulnerable groups as the only Thai-speaking immigration lawyer in BC
• Completed remedial trust accounting courses and reviewed Trust Accounting Handbook