The Law Society of Ontario has formally stripped former Ottawa lawyer James Bowie of his licence to practise law, a decisive move that follows his criminal convictions for extortion, criminal harassment, and uttering threats against a former client.
Criminal Convictions Lead to Disbarment
This final revocation comes months after Bowie, 43, was sentenced to a four-year penitentiary term in September 2025. Justice Paul Cooper found him guilty of pressuring a friend to obtain a gun to "take care" of his former client, Leanne Aubin, constituting extortion and criminal harassment. He was also convicted of uttering threats to kill Aubin.
The disgraced lawyer's downfall is directly linked to his actions toward Aubin, who had previously won a civil lawsuit against him.
A History of Professional Misconduct
The Law Society had initially suspended Bowie's licence indefinitely back in 2022 after findings of professional misconduct. The suspension was triggered by his failure to cooperate with three separate Law Society investigations.
According to tribunal records, Bowie did not produce requested information and documents for an investigator between December 2021 and June 2022. He was later found to have engaged in further professional misconduct for similar failures with another investigator between November 2022 and January 2023.
As a result of these breaches, Bowie was ordered to pay costs of $5,000 for each investigation.
From Social Media Notoriety to Incarceration
James Bowie launched his legal practice in 2017. He gained a significant online following by live-tweeting details from various bail hearings connected to the 2022 convoy protests in Ottawa.
His path from a lawyer with a public platform to a convicted felon serving a multi-year sentence underscores the severe consequences of violating both criminal law and the professional standards of the legal profession in Ontario.
The Law Society's final revocation of his licence effectively ends his legal career in the province.
