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A Law Society of B.C. disciplinary hearing descended Tuesday into acrimony and occasional raised voices over the regulatory body’s ability and willingness to police money laundering.

Kenneth McEwan, a lawyer for the society, rebuked media comments made by Donald Gurney and said they raised a serious question about rehabilitating the West Vancouver practitioner found guilty of professional misconduct.

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“No one is seeking to punish him for daring to speak up, no one is seeking to stop his right to free speech … but the law society simply says you should take those statements into account (and) consider whether he has taken ownership of the misconduct,” McEwan told the disciplinary panel weighing the penalty to be imposed.

“If you review them with your decision in mind, it’s clear he does not. That’s all.”

Paul Jaffe angrily responded, accusing the legal watchdog of scapegoating Gurney to create the impression it was addressing public concerns about money laundering, especially in B.C.’s red-hot real-estate market.