A Halifax lawyer has been suspended for five months and ordered to pay $20,000 after being found guilty of professional misconduct by the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society.

In February of last year, Christopher Ian Robinson was found guilty of misconduct by a disciplinary committee of the society. That same committee announced its decision this week on a suitable punishment.

The suspension includes a number of conditions Robinson must meet before he can resume practising law. They include that he take a course on professional responsibility from either the Schulich or Osgoode law schools. He must also complete 20 hours of professional development courses.

The $20,000 figure represents roughly half of the costs the society incurred in running the disciplinary hearing.

Robinson faced complaints for his handling of two matters. One was an investment case, the other was a child custody matter. In his argument to the committee, Robinson acknowledged that he could become too intense in arguing such matters. He said he's imposed self-deterrence, by no longer taking on such cases.

But the society still had concerns.

"The conduct of the member is symptomatic of the member's disdain for other members of the profession and of the courts," the sanction decision reads.

"He feels that intimidation is a proper tactic to be employed in the conduct of litigation."

In the child custody case, Robinson was found to have tried to intimidate the other lawyer, identified in the decision by the initials A.B. He was accused of cornering her in the photocopy room at the Devonshire Courthouse in Halifax's north end.

"He agreed that he got too close to A.B. but that is as far as he would go," the decision read. "He did not acknowledge that he bullied or intimidated A.B. in the way he spoke to her."