But it's OK that he remains the Mayor because: West Van
West Vancouver mayor banned from practising law for 2 years
Mayor Mark Sager admitted to professional misconduct while handling a friend's estate
West Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager has been suspended from practising law for two years after agreeing that he committed three instances of professional misconduct while handling a friend's estate, says a Wednesday release from the Law Society of B.C.
The society says Sager admitted to acting in a conflict of interest by failing to ensure his client had received independent legal advice over the arrangement.
He also admitted to withdrawing $44,800 in executor's fees and $26,790,81 in care and management fees from the estate funds before receiving approval to do so.
Sager further admitted that he failed to maintain proper records and did not make contact with four charities that were listed as beneficiaries on the will for approximately nine years.
Sager was
issued a citation by the law society listing these allegations in September 2022, a month before being elected mayor.
The agreement between the lawyer and Sager says he invoiced the estate and reimbursed himself more than $162,800 in travel expenses, visiting the sister of his client in England at least 18 times until she passed away in 2019, without getting approval from the beneficiaries or the court.
It also says he mistakenly billed the estate for several personal purchases, including from clothing store AllSaints Jacks Place, department store Harrods, leather goods store Smythson, and a stay at a hotel in France.
It says he withdrew $2,954.80 from separate bank accounts belonging to the client for "funeral costs," mistakenly reimbursing himself twice for the same expense.
He also issued a cheque for $2,000 to the Kay Meek Arts Centre, despite the centre not being listed as a beneficiary of the will.