A well-known lawyer in the Saint John region is undergoing a disciplinary hearing following a complaint lodged with the Law Society of New Brunswick. The complaint against William (Bill) H. Teed from Rothesay has not had its details disclosed. Joleen Dable, the registrar of complaints and deputy executive director, informed CBC News that the complaint has been forwarded to the regulatory body’s discipline committee. Plans are underway to draft the Notice of Complaint (Form 22) outlining the accusations. The timeline for this process is uncertain, but once completed, it will be published on the law society’s website, with the identities of complainants kept confidential. Teed will then have 20 days to submit a response, which will also be made public, as stated by Dable.
In the meantime, an interim suspension hearing was held by the complaints committee on Oct. 2. Despite Teed being retired, the committee did not suspend him but placed a condition, with Teed’s agreement, prohibiting him from practicing law. This restriction encompasses offering legal advice, drafting legal documents, representing clients before legal bodies, and negotiating legal matters on behalf of others. The condition will endure until the discipline committee reaches a final decision on the matter.
When questioned about the necessity of the interim suspension hearing given Teed’s retired status, the registrar declined to comment on individual cases under review. However, she mentioned that such hearings are not convened for every case, with the primary concern being whether the lawyer’s continued practice could endanger the public or clients.
Teed, a legal professional since 1978 and formerly a partner at Cox & Palmer in Saint John, specialized in corporate commercial law. Notably, he provided legal representation to the Oland family during Dennis Oland’s trials for the second-degree murder of his father, Richard Oland. Teed’s lawyer, Nathan Gorham, stated that Teed agreed to refrain from returning to law practice after transitioning to a non-practising and subsequently retired status.
The law society’s website outlines that once a complaint reaches the discipline committee, a public hearing will be convened. Details of the hearing date will be disclosed in due course based on the availability of involved parties and volunteer panel members. Dable confirmed that a review of the complaint found merit, but the exact date of the complaint submission was not disclosed, although it predates July 28. Typically, when a complaint is received, the lawyer is given a chance to respond, and the complainant may provide additional input. Should the complaint persist unresolved, the registrar will assess the need for further investigation and whether the complaint warrants action, which may involve dismissal, issuing a warning, or referral to a decision-making committee.
