Former law dean charged dozens of meals with 3 lawyers to U of Manitoba. They say meals never happened

Testimony from three lawyers cast doubt on the accuracy of dozens of expense claims — some for lobster, scallops and pricey meals — from a former University of Manitoba law school dean who allegedly ran up tabs at a private Winnipeg club on the university's dime.

Jonathan Black-Branch, who suddenly left his post as dean of the U of M law school in 2020, is at risk of being reprimanded or disbarred depending on the outcome of a Law Society of Manitoba professional misconduct hearing that could end this week.

He faces a breach of integrity charge by the law society for allegedly misspending nearly $500,000 from an endowment fund for a U of M-based research and training centre.

Among other expenses charged to the university, Rocky Kravetsky, a lawyer representing the law society, contends Black-Branch made up numerous charges, or chits, at the Manitoba Club, a private members-only Winnipeg venue.

There were about 200 chits from the club charged to the U of M, about two-thirds of which were categorized as "cover one," suggesting a single person was present for the bill, Kravetsky said.

'He did not purchase anything for me'

On Wednesday, lawyer Lynda Troup, who was a bencher with the law society from 2014-22 and president within that tenure, answered questions about some of those expense claims.

She recalled going to the Manitoba Club on March 17, 2018, with friends for a drink before heading to an event.

Troup said Black-Branch was there alone and her group invited him to their table. He didn't pay for their drinks, she said.

But Kravetsky showed her an expense claim, with her name written above it, for the Manitoba Club that was charged by Black-Branch to the university on that date.

It suggested she and her party ordered lobster, a burger and dessert. Troup denies that happened.

Kravetsky pointed to another expense claim with her name included, indicating she was with Black-Branch on Dec. 19, 2018, and ate scallops. She said she wasn't there that day.

"The only time that I was ever conversing with Mr. Black-Branch at the Manitoba Club was that one time," said Troup. "He did not purchase anything for me."

Kristin Dangerfield, who retired as a lawyer in 2021 and formerly served as the executive officer of the law society, was the second witness called Wednesday. Like Troup, her name appeared on charges to the university from the Manitoba Club.

Kravetsky had Dangerfield review chits, or expense claims, dated Dec. 14, 2017, charged by Black-Branch to the university. Dangerfield said she was not at the Manitoba Club that day.

'These all sound very unlikely'

Winnipeg lawyer Ronald Coke was then asked to testify about similar charges.

Coke's name appeared on at least 45 Manitoba Club expense claims charged to the university by Black-Branch, Kravetsky said. Coke, who knew Black-Branch professionally, could only vouch for a few of those being accurate, "not 45."

Lawyer Grant Mitchell, the law society panel chairperson, said "virtually all" of those claims were filed as "cover one chits," suggesting one person was present in each case.

Mitchell listed off about a dozen dates in 2018 and 2019 associated with some of the expenses and asked Coke if he was with Black-Branch during those meals.

"These all sound very unlikely," Coke said.

Black-Branch absent

Black-Branch has not been present for the past two days of hearings.

On Tuesday, a former financial assistant for the U of M law school said she became increasingly suspicious in late 2019 while processing expense claims from Black-Branch charged to university accounts.

Those concerns were shared by others. There was a whistleblower complaint and the U of M launched an internal investigation sometime in 2019 or 2020.

The U of M said that investigation found a senior, unnamed employee had misused and mismanaged university money.

Black-Branch was announced as the new head of University of Southampton law school around the same time in summer 2020. The university reversed its decision a short time later, citing a change in circumstances.

Jennifer L. Schulz, a professor at the U of M faculty of law, commended the law society for pursuing "some form of justice" in the case.

"I am also very impressed with University of Manitoba staff members, all women, who had the courage to speak out against a man who held much power over them," Schulz said in a statement Wednesday.

"It is unfortunate that the University of Manitoba did not pursue a civil case against Dr. Black-Branch when they had the opportunity to do so."

A university spokesperson said the U of M reported its concerns to the law society and is the complainant in the misconduct hearing against Black-Branch.

"We supported all the individuals from the university who testified.... They were in a very difficult position, and we commend them for stepping forward," the spokesperson said Wednesday.

The hearing continues Thursday.