Leeland T. Playfair

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

Attorney Leeland Playfair was engaged by Horace Reid (on behalf of co-owners including complainant Gloria Reid) to sell family property at 6 Brentford Road. After the owners withdrew authorization to sell (instructing him not to proceed and to obtain a valuation), the property was nonetheless transferred to Simeon and Eltega Campbell for $110,000 - below the originally authorized $130,000 - without the owners' knowledge or consent. The attorney never accounted for any proceeds, the building was demolished, and he ceased all communication with the clients. He did not respond to the complaint or attend the hearings. The Committee found him guilty of professional misconduct in breach of Canons I(b), IV(r) & (s) and VII(b)(ii), but found the evidence did NOT disclose a criminal act under Canon III(k) on the high standard of proof required. The Committee noted the sum was either an error or an attempt to perpetrate fraud, but expressly declined to find a criminal/dishonesty offence proven. His name was ordered struck from the Roll and costs of $30,000 awarded to the complainant.

Duties found breached:

• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Act only on proper, lawful instructions
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Aggravating factors:

• Failed to account for proceeds for over 3 years and 4 months
• Sold property contrary to express client instructions after agreeing not to proceed
• Complete failure to communicate with clients despite their contact details remaining unchanged
• Did not respond to complaint or attend hearings, offering no information on his own behalf
• Conduct described by the Committee as 'appalling' and a 'gross dereliction of duty'
• Breach of trust as constructive trustee of purchase monies