Nanaimo lawyer disbarred for misconduct relating to 2018 sexual assault

Former Nanaimo lawyer Marc Andre Scheirer has been disbarred for misconduct relating to a 2018 sexual assault, the Law Society of British Columbia says.

According to a hearing panel, Scheirer told a “vulnerable” potential client that he would not provide them with assistance unless they cooperated with his sexual advances.

“Taking into account all of the relevant factors, the only appropriate sanction in this case is disbarment,” the panel wrote in its decision.

“This takes into account the seriousness of the misconduct, the impact on the victim, the respondent’s previous conduct record (including a six-month suspension for predatory conduct towards a client albeit without a criminal charge and conviction), and the absolute lack of any acknowledgement or remorse by the respondent raises concerns about the respondent’s potential for rehabilitation.”

Scheirer had been criminally charged and convicted for the assault in 2020. In 2021, he received a suspension and two years of probation.

The Law Society says the victim has experienced “devastating” effects as a result of the misconduct and is now “fearful of legal professionals and other professions where there may be a power imbalance.”