Missing Toronto Lawyer Javad Heydary is being investigated by the Law Society of Upper Canada
Toronto lawyer, Javad Heydary, is being investigated by the Law Society of Upper Canada. The 49-year-old lawyer was last heard from Nov. 15, telling colleagues he needed to return to his native Iran because of an ailing relative.
A court had ordered his firm Heydary Hamilton to produce a certified check for $2.1 million, plus interest, that the firm had been holding in trust for a couple whom received a $5 million dollar settlement in February. According to the affidavit released by the Law Society of Upper Canada, Heydary Hamilton has less than $320, 000 in Trust as of November 21st, with a shortage of over $3 million.
The Law Society is now investigating Heydary for “misappropriation, mishandling trust funds and failing to comply with a court order.” A number of well-respected lawyers from Heydary’s half dozen boutique firms have resigned, and the Law Society has taken over as trustee of the businesses in order to protect the interests of the clients. Auditors are looking at all of the Heydary firms with special attention on Heydary Hamilton.
His firm only found out this week that he rents, rather than owns his home in the prestigious Forest Hill area in Toronto, and that he had taken out a loan for a Mercedes earlier in the year. His wife has supposedly told his firm he has died this past weekend.
The Law Society and the firms will be working together to continue serving clients as best as possible during the investigation.
Generally speaking, lawyers do not have a good reputation and these type of situations do little to help. Bar associations and lawyers are the keepers of their own reputation and need to continually demonstrate misconduct is not tolerated.
Heydary was featured earlier this month on the cover of the Law Times as an innovator that built several successful legal businesses in Toronto and surrounding areas. Heydary Hamilton gained international attention last year when taking on a $40 million dollar lawsuit against Toronto’s Trump Hotel.
Published on:
