CANADACourt order
Ontario judge freezes lawyer's funds and faults Law Society of Ontario over alleged trust-account fraud
Ontario Superior Court Justice Sean Dunphy criticized the Law Society of Ontario for slow action on lawyers accused of misusing real estate trust funds, The Globe and Mail reported. In an October 14, 2026 ruling freezing and tracing about C$5 million entrusted to Brampton lawyer Anil K. Sharma, he called the regulator's torpor "incomprehensible" and ordered the ruling sent to the society. The allegations against Sharma have not been proven in court.
Key points
- Dunphy wrote that he felt he was "shouting into the wind" with repeated requests for faster, coordinated action on lawyer misconduct.The Globe and Mail
- Sharma faces allegations that he kept client funds from three August and September real estate transactions instead of remitting them.The Globe and Mail
- The judge noted similar allegations against lawyer and former Liberal MP Rajvinder Grewal.The Globe and Mail
- In a later endorsement involving Grewal's firm RSG Law, Dunphy called the trust-account evidence "jaw dropping."The Globe and Mail
- The law society said it is taking steps to respond and protect clients; the Globe reported no public notice of action against Sharma.The Globe and Mail