Thunder Bay lawyer Daniel Matson suspended after concerns of alleged falsified documents, signatures

A Thunder Bay, Ont., lawyer has his licence suspended after a number of concerns were presented to the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Daniel Matsonhad his licence suspended as part of an interlocutory suspension on June 30, 2017. The law society said there are, "reasonable grounds for believing there is a significant risk of harm to members of the public, or the public interest in the administration of justice."

The Law Society noted it received a judicial complaint on June 2, 2017 from the Superior Court of Justice, involving two separate client files. The complainant alleged Matsoncreated two Superior Court Orders, as well as creating numerous false documents between February 1 and May 29.

In the evidence presented by the Law Society, another local lawyer became suspicious of theauthenticity of a number of court documents, after being given them by a client. That lawyer then informed the Regional Senior Justice of the discovery.

That client also became suspicious of documents he was given by Matson, after bringing a form to a local bank, and was told it was not genuine.

The Law Society noted that in the three cases it has investigated, Matsoninformed his clients that a cash settlement had been reached, all for sums greater than $100,000.

There was no settlement in any of the cases, according to the Law Society investigation.

Another client became suspicious of Matsonafter documents a client said were given to her by Matsonwere not found in the court file at the Thunder Bay Courthouse.

In a fact-finding interview with the Law Society, Matsonsaid he did create some documents as examples, but said they were not official court documents, and were not stamped or signed by him.

The Law Society said it will continue to investigate Matson, and is also receiving additional complaints about his conduct.

CBC News has heard from an additional complainant, Rick Young, who said Matson informed him he had also reached a $25,000 settlement in a wrongful dismissal case, although he has never been able to receive any official documentation, or cheque.

Calls to Matson, as well as Johansen Law Firm where Matsonwas a partner, have not been returned to CBC News.