Michael Andrew Christ

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

Michael Andrew Christ, a BC lawyer called in 1984, entered a Rule 3-7.1 consent agreement approved August 26, 2025. He admitted professional misconduct for improperly withdrawing client trust funds ($2,594.60 across six files and $1,186.80 on one file) into the firm's general account without entitlement and without delivering proper bills. The conduct was actually carried out by the firm's bookkeeper without his instructions, but he accepted full responsibility. No dishonesty was found. He agreed to a one-month suspension effective September 1, 2025.

Duties found breached:

• No improper use of client money

Mitigating factors:

• Misconduct was unintentional and unknown to the Lawyer during the relevant period
• Lawyer relied in good faith on invoices and cheques prepared by the bookkeeper
• Former bookkeeper admitted she cleared residual trust balances without the Lawyer's instructions
• Lawyer returned/repaid the trust funds to clients, third parties, or the Law Society as unclaimed money
• Lawyer accepted full responsibility