B.C. lawyer convicted of public mischief and fabricating evidence disbarred

VANCOUVER – A lawyer convicted of public mischief and fabricating evidence has been ordered disbarred by the Law Society of B.C.

The society’s decision says that in June 2010, Malcolm Zoraik was found guilty in a provincial court of writing a letter that falsely alleged jury tampering in a B.C. Supreme Court case he lost in Victoria.

The written decision says that in April 2009, Zoraik defended a client who was suing for damages after a car accident.

The jury delivered a verdict of no liability, but Zoraik applied to the judge not to enter the judgment, because jurors had deliberated for only 20 minutes.

Before that application was heard, a letter supposedly from the husband of a juror was left on a counter at the courthouse, claiming the woman had been offered money for her vote.

The law society says that while Zoraik has now been disbarred, he provided them a written statement two years ago saying he would no longer practise law.