WINNIPEG - A Winnipeg lawyer is accused of taking money improperly from 50 abused former students of aboriginal residential schools.
Howard Tennenhouse faces a disciplinary hearing next month before the Law Society of Manitoba, and if found guilty, faces penalties that range from a written reprimand to disbarment.
Lawyers for residential school victims are normally given a 15 per cent fee by the federal government, on top of the money awarded to the victim.
Lawyers can seek additional fees from their clients, but only with the approval of an adjudicator, Allan Fineblit, the chief executive officer of the Law Society of Manitoba, said Monday.
Tennenhouse, who was suspended from practice two weeks ago, is accused of taking money from clients without that authorization.
If Tennenhouse is found guilty, his clients will be reimbursed, Fineblit said.
"Either we will collect it back from him, or we will pay any difference out of the compensation fund that is available."
The law society has a fund, made up of fees from all members, to reimburse people who are deliberately wronged by their lawyers, Fineblit said. The fund is separate from malpractice insurance, which covers unintentional errors.
Tennenhouse was not immediately available for comment. His office telephone was disconnected and a message left at his home was not returned Monday afternoon.
