Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Erik Bornman drops bid to become lawyer - for now

November 21, 2006

Bornman pulls law society application

By BILL TIELEMAN, 24 HOURS newspaper

Erik Bornman, the key Crown witness in the breach of trust case against former government aides David Basi and Bob Virk, is no longer attempting to be admitted to the Ontario bar as a lawyer.

In a surprise move late yesterday, the Law Society of Upper Canada announced that Bornman's application will be withdrawn at the admission hearing today in Toronto.

"Both sides will be making a joint submission that the matter be adjourned," Society communications director Lisa Hall told 24 hours.

The hearing into Bornman's "good character" resulted from a complaint to the Society. Police allege Basi and Virk were bribed by Bornman, then a lobbyist, to obtain confidential government documents related to the $1-billion B.C. Rail privatization.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NOT PUBLISHED TODAY

Hall could not say if or when Bornman could reapply to be a lawyer but the Law Society had planned to ask that the hearing be adjourned until the trial had been concluded.

Bornman’s lawyers wanted the media and public excluded from the hearing or a publication ban imposed.

Vancouver lawyer Dan Burnett said in an interview that his client, Global Television, was planning on arguing against such a ban or exclusion had the hearing proceeded.

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