Lawyer disbarred from British Columbia Bar Association sexually harassed vulnerable client

A disciplinary panel has ruled that a disbarred lawyer from Nanaimo, British Columbia, was guilty of professional misconduct after sexually harassing a vulnerable client in 2016.

Marc Andre Eckardt, also known as Marc Andre Scheirer, was expelled from the bar last December for sexually abusing another client. He was convicted of the assault in 2018 and given a suspended sentence.

The most recent case involves a client, referred to as AR in the Law Society of BC decision, who said Eckardt touched her inappropriately on several occasions, leaving her “petrified.”

The decision describes in detail how it took years for the woman to speak up. She was afraid of the power imbalance between her and Eckardt. In addition, she had little choice because he had been appointed by legal aid.

“The plaintiff also testified about her personal history of struggling with trauma and abuse during her childhood and in her most recent relationship, and that her experiences with (Eckardt) left her feeling ‘helpless and invisible,'” the decision states.

The decision states that Eckardt did not dispute any of AR’s claims in the case and apologized to her for the embarrassment he caused her, saying it was not his intention.

A bar panel concluded that Eckardt’s actions constituted sexual harassment and professional misconduct.

According to a decision by the Law Society of BC, Eckardt did not contest any of AR’s claims. (corgarashu/Shutterstock)

Client was left crying in her car

The decision states that AR was trying to get a protective order and custody of her three children when she met Eckardt in his office in June 2016.

When she entered the building, there was no one at the front desk – and then a man, later identified as Eckardt, approached her and put his arms around her chest. AR told the panel he pressed her body against his.

“At this point, the plaintiff froze in fear,” the decision states. “After what the plaintiff stated was about a minute, (Eckardt) giggled, let go of her and asked her to come into his office.”

After she entered the office, AR said, the disgraced lawyer began rubbing his socked foot on her feet and legs under his desk.

The plaintiff stated that she did not remember much of what she told Eckardt at the meeting. However, she did remember the attorney asking her if she planned to have more children.

When she answered “no,” the lawyer commented, according to the decision, how lucky he would be if AR were the mother of his children.

After the hour-and-a-half-long meeting, AR testified that Eckardt appeared to lean in for a kiss or hug, causing her to panic and run out of the building.

“After getting into her car, (AR) sat and cried for a few minutes before heading home,” the decision states.

“She was also crying as she sat in her car in the driveway of her home,” it continues.

Another witness testifies to inappropriate touching

In October 2016, AR told the panel that Eckardt appeared unkempt and intoxicated at a court hearing when she sought a protective order against her former husband.

AR explained to the panel that she, Eckardt and her friend – referred to in the decision as TW – were sitting on a bench outside the courtroom, but that the lawyer again touched her inappropriately.

TW testified that Eckardt touched her friend on the thigh and that AR felt uncomfortable because of his behavior at the time.

The exterior of the Nanaimo Courthouse in the Vancouver Island city. (Justin McElroy/CBC)

“The panel finds that (Eckardt’s) conduct adversely affected the complainant’s experience in obtaining necessary legal services and resulted in adverse consequences,” the disciplinary decision states.

AR came forward after Eckardt was suspended for six months by the Bar Association in 2022 for “predatory behavior” toward another client.