Barred Vernon lawyer ‘misappropriated’ $116,000 from elderly client who has dementia

A former Vernon lawyer, already banned from practicing for 10 years, has been found to have misappropriated $116,000 from an elderly client suffering from dementia.

According to a Sept. 24 BC Law Society decision, Leonard Hil Marriott transferred his client’s money to his own account after he became their power of attorney.

The Law Society describes misappropriation as “tantamount to theft.”

He then used the cash to buy himself an apartment. 

“As an attorney (Marriott) had duties to the client including to act to the benefit and in the best interest of the client, and not to benefit or profit personally from (his) dealings with the client’s property,” the Law Society said.

Marriott also had the elderly client transfer half the ownership of her $385,000 condo to him and changed her will leaving him 75% of her estate.

The Law Society found Marriott’s dealing with the elderly client “lacked integrity” and was “clearly” professional misconduct.

Marriott has been in trouble with the Law Society before, having been found to have committed professional misconduct on two previous occasions.

In late 2024, the regulator called his handling of a $1.2-million estate “sloppy” and ordered him to pay back $70,000.

Months later, he was back in front of the regulator over his handling of another wills and estate matter. The Law Society found he “utterly failed” to complete the relatively straightforward legal paperwork and then filed false information to the court.

The Law Society once described Marriott as lacking “candour and honesty” and in 2025 prohibited him from practicing law for 10 years. It later took over his pratice after he failed to prove he’d closed down.

Marriott became a lawyer in 1992, but didn’t practice until 2015. In 2018, he set up North Valley Law.

In the current case, Marriott admitted to many of the Law Society’s allegations.

The case dates back to 2017 when Marriott represented a client who was 84 years old at the time.

Marriott said he developed a “developed a close familial-like relationship” with the elderly woman who was suffering from from progressive dementia.

In 2018, Marriott became the woman’s power of attorney and authorized himself to make decisions about any of her finances.

“In or around July 2021, (Marriott) observed signs of the client’s cognitive decline and impairment, and (he had) had concerns about the client’s capacity,” the decision read.

That year, he completed the paperwork giving himself 50% ownership of the client’s condo. He used his unnamed assistant as a witness.

After he became the legal owner of half of the condo, his former spouse filed a charge on the title over unpaid child support. The decision didn’t say how much Marriott owed, but the charge was later removed.

The decision said by 2022, the clients dementia was severe. The following year a doctor said she limited comprehension of her surroundings and she lacked capacity.

In his dealing with the elderly client Marriott drew up a promissory note, whereby he borrowed $35,000 as a loan.

The decision said Marriott has made no repayments on either the $81,886 loan or the $35,000 loan.

In 2023, the clients family complained to the Law Society about Marriott and in 2024 began legal action against him in the BC Supreme Court.

“Marriott’s conduct is clearly contrary to the (rules) and raises to the level of a marked departure in all of the circumstances,” the Law Society said.

The decision said Marriott admitted to the majority of the facts but argued the loans were for investing his client’s funds.

“The purported loan was contrary to (Marriott’s) duty of loyalty and duty to not use his position for personal advantage,” the Law Society said.

He also argued his conduct should be characterized as “improper withdrawal of trust funds” rather than misappropriation.

However, the Law Society didn’t buy it.

What sanctions he faces will be decided at a later date.