Lawyer accused of offering legal services for sexual favours ordered to pay former client $235,000

James Bowie, 39, is facing charges of uttering threats, extortion and harassment. (Ottawa Police Service/handout)

Warning: some may find details in this story disturbing

Suspended Ottawa lawyer James Bowie has been ordered to pay $235,000 in damages to a former client after he repeatedly suggested she pay for his legal services with oral sex and released personal details about her online after the allegations were reported by CTV News Ottawa.

In an Oct. 11 decision, Superior Court Justice Heather Williams writes that Bowie's "campaign to exploit the circumstances of this vulnerable young client for his own gratification followed by his public disclosure of her personal circumstances and confidential information amount to a staggering breach of the trust obligations a lawyer owes to a client."

The client, Leanne Aubin, filed a lawsuit against Bowie relating to incidents in 2022.

Aubin reached out to Bowie about representation in May 2022 after she was charged with assault—charges that have since been dropped.

After agreeing to work out a payment plan, Bowie suggested he and Aubin communicate on Snapchat, a platform where messages are deleted. 

Williams found Bowie offered to accept oral sex in lieu of money for his legal services but Aubin said no.

The court document states Bowie "sent the plaintiff a photograph of his penis…. He asked the plaintiff if she found him attractive and told her he was propositioning her. He said he found the idea of trading oral sex for legal services to be 'hot.’”

Bowie told the plaintiff not to tell anyone about their Snapchat communications and that if she did, it would "jeopardize the defence to her criminal charge," the document states, and that because Bowie knew the Crown attorney assigned to her case, he "hinted that this could help him arrange for the charge against her to be dismissed."

In late August 2022, the plaintiff told the defendant she was in "extreme mental distress and was having suicidal thoughts."

"When this vulnerable client later told the defendant that she was having mental health issues and feeling suicidal, he recommended alcohol, drugs and the sex with him that she had repeatedly said she was not interested in," Williams writes. "After the plaintiff complained about the defendant to the [Law Society of Ontario], he took to social media to defend himself. He identified the plaintiff, openly discussed their confidential lawyer-client relationship and disclosed personal information about the plaintiff."

Bowie was noted in default twice, meaning he never filed a statement of defence.

Williams' decision references the Rules of Civil Procedure that states, "a defendant who has been noted in default is deemed to admit all of the factual allegations in the statement of claim."

"This has been a long time coming for our client, who feels vindicated by this decision," said Aubin’s lawyer Christine Johnson. "It’s not easy speaking out against someone in a position of power – Leanne should be really proud of the courage that she showed by reporting Mr. Bowie’s misconduct."

Bowie was ordered to pay Aubin $75,000 for breach of fiduciary duty, $65,000 in damages for breaches under Ontario's Human Rights Code, $30,000 for defamation and $25,000 in punitive damages. He was also ordered to pay $40,000 toward Aubin's legal costs.

Criminal charges

Bowie was charged in April 2023 with extortion, harassment and two counts of uttering threats. Those allegations have not been tested in court.

"Given that Mr. Bowie still has related matters before the courts, it would not be appropriate for him or I to comment at this time," said Bowie’s lawyer Eric Granger who was not involved in the civil case.

 

If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health there are a number of ways to get help, including by calling or texting Suicide Crisis Helpline at 9-8-8. A list of local crisis centres is also available here.

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