Lawyers dispute former U of M dean’s submitted expenses for Manitoba Club meetings

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This article was published 22/11/2023 (708 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Four local lawyers have contested an ex-law dean’s expense claims suggesting he met with them for university business dealings at the Manitoba Club during his tenure at Robson Hall.

The professional disciplinary hearing of Jonathan Black-Branch, who left the University of Manitoba in 2020 after an internal audit concluded he misused public funds, continued Wednesday.

Black-Branch is accused of inappropriately spending more than a half-million dollars on upgrading his resumé with U.S. Ivy League college courses, international accommodations and dinner and drink tabs, among other line items.

The case against him includes 141 receipts from a ritzy social club that were filed as hospitality expenses required to entertain at least one guest for school-related business.

Rocky Kravetsky, who is representing the Law Society of Manitoba, has told a downtown hearing room all of those chits indicate a single person was served.

On Wednesday, Kravetsky called on several witnesses to back up his argument that Black-Branch was deceitful when filing expenses and, as a result, breached his professional duty to act with integrity.

“I certainly didn’t have a lobster salad, because I hate lobsters,” said lawyer Lynda Troup, in response to a question about an expensed bill that had her name scribbled on it.

“I would never have had a burger because I never eat a burger. I certainly wouldn’t have ordered juice, because I was there for the wine, and I didn’t have tea or berries and ice cream.”

A partner at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP, Troup said she never went to the Manitoba Club with Black-Branch, and there was a single occasion — March 17, 2018 — when she ran into him there.

“I would never have had a burger because I never eat a burger. I certainly wouldn’t have ordered juice, because I was there for the wine, and I didn’t have tea or berries and ice cream.”–Lynda Troup

The lawyer, who is not a member of the Manitoba Club, said she visited the downtown destination with a handful of friends — one of whom is a member — that day before going to the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

Upon arrival, the group saw Black-Branch was eating alone and decided to invite him to join them because he was the only other person in the dining area, she said, adding his bill was separate from theirs and they parted ways and left to visit the WAG.

Troup was also asked about a Dec. 19, 2019 chit submitted with her name on it. She indicated she attended a meeting at the law society that day and, later, her nephew’s Christmas concert, which was not at the Manitoba Club.

Lawyer Ronald Coke said he visited the Manitoba Club with Black-Branch roughly a half-dozen times.

“Not 45,” Coke said, referencing the overall tally submitted by the former law dean.

Coke noted the duo met to socialize or discuss dealings related to the Legal Data Resources Corp., because he recruited Black-Branch to join the not-for-profit organization’s board.

He recalled covering the bill during initial visits to the social club, where he is a member, in 2018.

Black-Branch assumed the role of dean of Manitoba’s only law school in 2016.

The esteemed appointment guaranteed him a spot as a bencher, a director on the governing board at the Law Society of Manitoba — the professional watchdog that is now seeking to discipline him.

The former dean, who is currently living in the U.K., has yet to attend any of the proceedings at the law society’s headquarters in Winnipeg. The defendant has repeatedly attempted to delay the hearing indefinitely, citing vague medical concerns.

Kristin Dangerfield, a retired lawyer and former chief executive officer of the law society, told the downtown hearing room she met with Black-Branch from time to time to discuss matters that affected both the society and law school.

“I don’t believe I ever met with him at the Manitoba Club.”–Kristin Dangerfield

When asked about an expense receipt stating they dined together at the Manitoba Club on Dec. 14, 2017, she said she was at the society’s headquarters that evening to clean up after a meeting and reception before heading home.

“I don’t believe I ever met with him at the Manitoba Club,” she said Wednesday.

Lawyer Silvia de Sousa echoed the other witnesses’ experiences in an affidavit. She denied meeting with Black-Branch on 15 different occasions where he filed hospitality expenses to the U of M and named her as a guest.

The hearing officially began in September. It was interrupted by a two-month-long adjournment and resumed Tuesday.

Kravetsky is expected to make his final remarks Thursday.

A disciplinary panel made up of two legal professionals and a public representative will ultimately decide how, if at all, Black-Branch is penalized.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Maggie Macintosh
Education reporter

Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie.

Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative.

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