Joanna Mun-Ling Lee

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

Joanna Mun-Ling Lee, a BC lawyer, entered a Rule 3-7.1 consent agreement (approved December 20, 2023) admitting professional misconduct for frustrating and misusing the court process while self-represented in judicial review proceedings of Residential Tenancy Branch decisions between July 2021 and July 2022. Her conduct included filing two nearly identical petitions without full disclosure, bringing ex parte applications without disclosing material facts or giving notice, failing to sign orders timely, and failing to disclose scheduling of petitions. Although a judge described some statements as bordering on dishonest, the Law Society made no express finding of dishonesty. She agreed to a four-week suspension and an undertaking to complete six hours of CLE on civil litigation. Special costs of $9,078.45 and $42,840.61 had been ordered against her by the courts (not by the tribunal).

Duties found breached:

• Diligence and timeliness
• Full disclosure on ex parte applications
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper communication with the court

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct persisted at every stage of proceedings
• Continued duplicative petitions despite Court of Appeal admonition and special costs
• Conduct inflicted prolonged ordeal and significant costs on ordinary (non-corporate) landlords

Mitigating factors:

• No prior professional conduct record
• Significant personal stress (eviction risk, caring for elderly disabled mother and ill pet)
• Heavy workload after departure of senior partners and failed associate hire
• Inexperience in judicial reviews and ex parte applications
• Paid/paying special costs ordered by the courts ($9,078.45 and $42,840.61)
• Completed over 20 hours of CPD since December 2022
• Remorse and apology to the Law Society