Winnipeg lawyer disciplined for punching articling student in groin area

An immigration lawyer has been suspended for six months by the Law Society of Manitoba for punching an articling student in the groin.

David Hirsch Davis pleaded guilty to a disciplinary charge of professional misconduct over an incident in his office.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Davis and the student were confirming that documents had been filed with Federal Court.

Davis, who was seated, turned to the articling student and punched him in the groin one time, causing him to double over in pain, shout at Davis and leave the office.

Davis has been ordered to continue mental health counselling and pay $2,500 as costs for the law society’s investigation.

He is also barred from being in a supervisory position to any student for two years.

“A strong message needs to be sent to students seeking to join the profession that conduct of the type the member engaged in will not be tolerated,” the law society panel’s decision, dated July 9, says.

The panel also pointed out that Davis had been disciplined previously.

He pleaded guilty to a disciplinary charge of sexually harassing a client seeking refugee status in 1999 and 2000. He pleaded guilty to making an administrative error related to trust account obligations in 2005.

He later pleaded guilty to having two clients work as live-in nannies and breaking some rules of the federal government’s live-in caregiver program.

“The panel finds that there continues to be a common theme between the 2001 and 2009 disciplinary history of the member and the current charges, namely one of inappropriate conduct by the member in situations where he is in a position of power or authority.”

Davis apologized in a written statement read by his lawyer during the disciplinary hearing.

“He promised his actions would never be repeated,” the panel said in its decision.