U.K. authority cites fugitive former U of M law dean’s Manitoba disbarment in similar ruling

The disgraced former law dean of the University of Manitoba has been prohibited from practising law in the United Kingdom, marking the second time he has been disbarred, as a Canada-wide warrant remains active for his arrest.

The Bar Standards Board for the U.K. and Wales disbarred Jonathan Black-Branch in February, citing a decision from the Law Society of Manitoba that rendered similar punishment in February 2024 after it investigated allegations he misspent more than $600,000 while serving as dean.

“In our view, there is no doubt the respondent’s actions amount to blatant and sustained dishonesty,” reads a disciplinary decision released by the Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service.

“Sadly, we have reached the decision that there are no exceptional factors which would warrant anything other than a disbarment.”

His punishment includes a £2,670 fine (equivalent to C$4,900), based on five charges of professional misconduct from the Bar Standards Society.

The Bar Standards Board tribunal based its decision on a Law Society of Manitoba investigation into Black-Branch, which centred around more than 200 questionable expense claims made to the U of M while he led Robson Hall between 2016 and 2020.

Black-Branch left the university law school without explanation in 2020.

The investigation by the law society — which regulates the profession in the province — found he spent university endowment funds on expensive meals at the Manitoba Club, and various other expenses related to travel, accommodations and more. Among their most egregious findings was that Black-Branch used approximately $500,000 in university funds to bolster his resumé by completing U.S. Ivy League courses.

The Bar Standards Board decision noted Black-Branch did not disclose the Manitoba investigation to the U.K. regulator, and did not co-operate in its disciplinary proceedings.

Black-Branch similarly did not participate in any of the Manitoba proceedings. Instead, he repeatedly delayed the law society’s disciplinary hearings between 2021 and 2023, citing his mental health, and declined to participate when the regulator did eventually proceed at its headquarters in downtown Winnipeg.

“With respect to his disbarment in the United Kingdom, the Law Society of Manitoba considers it to be entirely appropriate to uphold the standards of the profession,” spokesperson Deirdre O’Reilly said in a statement.

“To maintain confidence in the regulation of the legal profession, such conduct should result in significant consequences.”

The University of Manitoba sued Black-Branch and was awarded a default judgment of $682,500 last May.

It was made on the grounds that Black-Branch did not acknowledge or defend himself against the allegations he had misspent public dollars and schemed to evade oversight while running Robson Hall.

Some professors at the university called on police to launch a criminal investigation after the law society found him guilty of professional misconduct.

On Tuesday, Winnipeg Police Service Const. Stephen Spencer confirmed a Canada-wide warrant for Black-Branch remains in effect, but declined to comment further on the ongoing investigation.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca