Public Resources

Professional Responsibility Proceedings and Decisions

An overview of the Agent Conduct Inquiry/Complaints process can be found here.

Discipline proceedings are managed according to policies and procedures that promote fairness, openness and excellence. Applications are heard by panels of three or five Discipline Committee members, at the discretion of the Committee Chair. 

Hearings are conducted virtually and streamed on YouTube, in accordance with the Policy on Conduct of Digital Proceedings. Anybody can view a proceeding live online. A link to access the livestream is posted on this page under ‘Upcoming Hearings’ when the hearing has begun. No recordings are permitted.

All decisions are public on CPATA’s website and published on the CanLII decision database.  

Current Proceedings

No proceedings are currently underway.

Discipline Committee Decisions

2025

Eric Fincham

Hearing on application held October 2, 2024
Written decision December 10, 2024
Hearing on Penalty held on April 4, 2025
Discipline proceedings discontinued as a result of receiving news of his January 2025 death
Order and decision with reasons issued on July 9, 2025 on the basis of the Investigations Committee’s motion:
1. The Discipline Committee confirms its finding of professional misconduct as stated in its merits decision dated December 10, 2024;
2. The Discipline Committee confirms that the publication ban ordered earlier, prohibiting the publication in any document or broadcast or transmission in any way of the names of the complainants and persons whose patent annuities were at issue, remains in effect;
3. The final decision with the May 9, 2025 Reasons for Decision reproduced As Appendix A below shall be translated and published on CanLII; and
4. In the exercise of the Committee’s discretion, this Application is stayed as of today’s date and will not proceed to a penalty and costs determination.