The Law Society of BC said the suspension was imposed on Narinder Pal Singh Kang, QC of Kang and company lawyers after Kang reported to the society that he had been handed a six-month common-law peace bond in connection with assault and mischief charges.
SURREY – A well known Indo-Canadian lawyer from Surrey lawyer has been suspended from practising for two months following charges related to a June 2018 domestic violence incident.
In a news release issued Tuesday morning, The Law Society of BC said the penalty was imposed on Narinder Pal Singh Kang, QC of Kang and company lawyers after Kang reported to the society that he had been handed a six-month common-law peace bond in connection with assault and mischief charges.
“He reported the criminal charge to the Law Society and admitted that his actions constituted conduct unbecoming the profession,” the release said.
“In determining the disciplinary action, the panel considered the serious nature of intimate partner violence, as well as character reference letters provided by Kang, his acknowledgement of his actions and remorse, and the range of penalties in similar cases.”
The suspension relates to an incident on June 15, 2018, when Kang got into an altercation with AB (allegedly his wife). The Altercation began when, after returning home from a social function where Kang had consumed alcohol, he and AB got into a heated verbal argument. The argument escalated, and Kang forcefully grabbed AB’s arms and legs and struck AB in the back of the head two or three times. Throughout the Altercation, Kang used profane and verbally abusive language. The police attended after AB called 911. AB was not injured as a result of the Altercation.
On June 22, 2018, Kang reported to the Law Society that he had been charged with a criminal offence arising from the Altercation.
On June 26, 2018, Law Society laid “an Information” against Kang, charging him with assault and mischief against AB on June 15, 2018, pursuant to sections 266 and 430(1) of the Criminal Code. On November 16, 2018, Kang appeared with his counsel in court in relation to the criminal charges. At the hearing, the Respondent agreed to enter into a common law peace bond, accepting that his role in the Altercation was a “breach of the peace.” The common law peace bond was imposed for a duration of six months. It had conditions that required Kang to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, immediately leave AB’s presence upon AB’s request and not to attend at AB’s residence.
Law Society discipline committee authorized a citation against Kang containing five allegations in January 2020. The Law Society pursued one of the five allegations; that which led to the peace bond in November 2018.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the Crown directed a stay of proceedings in relation to the charges against the Respondent.
However, the panel’s role is “not to determine whether a criminal offence occurred, rather, it is to determine whether conduct unbecoming the profession occurred.”
The panel said it “has no hesitation” in finding intimate partner violence unbecoming the profession”.
The suspension takes effect July 1.
