Hamilton lawyer disbarred

A Hamilton lawyer who practised for almost 40 years has been disbarred.

In a disciplinary hearing with the Law Society of Upper Canada, Peter Borkovich admitted to misappropriating more than $200 000 from two estate funds he was handling to cover personal debts. An agreed statement of facts also shows that Borkovich made restitution for the misappropriated funds, but only once he knew that the Law Society was involved and that it was highly likely his misconduct would be discovered.

Borkovich says he was always in a position to repay the money but that he was using the funds to help cover his debts while he was running the “Serb National Fund” which took more of his time that he anticipated.