Suspended lawyer Lyle Howe says he's 'verging on rage' about disciplinary process

Embattled lawyer Lyle Howe launched a verbal attack on the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society and says he's "verging on rage" about the way the group is handling his disciplinary hearing.

"I know that everything I say is used against me," Howe told the three-member hearingon Wednesday.

"I have a huge degree of anger and resentment for the society, and mistrust."

The society has accused Howe of professional misconduct and professional incompetence. A hearing into those allegations started late last year and has been continuing, on and off, for months.

• Lyle Howe says other lawyers think he's a 'rascal and knucklehead'

Learned of latest suspension through media

Last week, the society suspended Howe's licence to practise and said there were new allegations against him. The provincial licensing body for lawyers said it had received informationabout Howe and had "several matters under investigation."

Howe said he learned of the suspension through a call from the media and said he wasn't given a chance to respond before the suspension was announced.

• Lyle Howe suspended, again, by Nova Scotia Barristers' Society

Jeanne Sumbu, Howe's lawyer, requested Wednesday morning that the disciplinary hearing be adjourned to allow her client time to deal with his suspension. Howe said he was reluctant to speak at the hearing.

Thursday's hearing cancelled

Howe said he's so angry, he doesn't want to be involved in the practise of law right now.

When the lawyer for the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society argued the hearing should continue, Howe accused him of "lacking empathy."

The panel struck a compromise because Howe's wife and law partner Laura McCarthy had already started testifying, the panel instructed her to complete her evidence. But the hearing scheduled for Thursday was cancelled.

Full calendar

McCarthy spent much of her time on the stand Wednesday reviewing the calendar she and Howe maintained for their law practice.

The society's lawyer focused on the period a couple of years ago when it alleges Howe was frequently double-booked. On one day, the calendar showed Howe having cases scheduled in courtrooms in Dartmouth, Bridgewater and at least two in Halifax.

McCarthy couldn't remember whether she represented her husband in any of those matters.

McCarthy sat in on client meetings

While McCarthy remembered the names of the various clients and details of their cases, she couldn't remember specifically whether she, Howe or another lawyer appeared in court on any particular date.

McCarthy also told the hearing that as Howe's personal legal problems mounted, he would often ask her to sit in on client meetings to put both him and the client at ease. McCarthy said Howe also made a point of telling clients about his own problems to make sure they didn't find out about it from another source first.

The disciplinary hearing is set to resume in October.

The CBC's Blair Rhodes live blogged from the hearing.