Sean O’Neil Kinghorn

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

The Complainant alleged his attorney (Respondent Sean Kinghorn) acted with inexcusable or deplorable negligence in matrimonial property proceedings by suppressing documents and failing to call witnesses. The Respondent did not attend either hearing or provide any defence. After reviewing the Supreme Court affidavits, the Panel found the Complainant not credible and that the documents would not have assisted; the Complainant himself had rejected a favourable settlement against the Respondent's advice. The Panel declined to find deplorable or inexcusable neglect under Canon IV(s) and imposed no substantive sanction. However, it found the Respondent breached Canons I(e) and I(f) by failing to respond to and attend the proceedings, and ordered him to pay $20,000 in costs to the General Legal Council. No dishonesty was found.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court

Aggravating factors:

• Failure to attend two hearings without explanation
• Failure to provide any response to the complaint, causing delay and waste of the Committee's time

Mitigating factors:

• The Complainant was found to be the author of his own misfortune having rejected favourable settlement advice
• Complainant found not to be a reliable or truthful witness; documents allegedly suppressed would not have assisted his case