A tribunal has ruled that Toronto lawyer Jagdeep Sikh Virk, 47, can continue practising law despite facing serious criminal charges including intimate partner violence and death threats. The Law Society of Ontario had sought his temporary suspension or practice restrictions, but the Law Society Tribunal panel denied the motion, finding no risk to the public or the public interest in the administration of justice.
Background of the case
In October 2025, Virk was charged with two counts of sexual assault, four counts of assault, and one count of uttering threats related to incidents in 2024. According to the Law Society's case, Virk first met the woman through Instagram in 2022 when he was 44 and she was in her early 20s. They met in person in fall 2023 and began dating in April 2024. The relationship continued after she left for law school overseas in fall 2024, but by November Virk said it had become "very, very toxic."
When she returned for the summer, she wanted him to hire her; when he refused, she allegedly struck him. He relented but a few days later called her back to rescind the offer and end the relationship. He says she was furious and threatened to ruin his life and career. Virk maintains his innocence, stating the sexual assault and assault charges were withdrawn on June 26. "The Crown came to the correct conclusion that the complainant lied to the police," Virk wrote in an email to the Toronto Sun. "As I said from the beginning I was innocent and a victim of an extortion attempt."
Tribunal decision and disturbing audio
The tribunal's decision, released June 22, noted that at the time Virk was still facing serious charges of intimate partner violence. The remaining allegation of uttering a threat has not been tested in court, and Virk expects it to be withdrawn soon. However, quotes from an alleged audio recording reproduced in the tribunal decision are deeply disturbing. According to the decision, Virk is alleged to have said: "Can I tell you I know where you live right now, b—h…You want to see how gangster I am? Cause you could see. Don’t worry. You’ll see how gangster I am. You’ll see how gangster I am b—h."
The recording allegedly continues: "OK, you whore. Listen to this… Guess what? Guess what? No body – no body, no case. No body – no charge. No body – B—h. B—h. No body, no murder. No body, no murder. F–k you, whore. I’m going to f–king kill you, b—h. I’m going to smash your face, story [sic]. I know how much you love your f–king face. I’m going to smash it for you… You’re going to be unrecognizable. You’re going to be unrecognizable, b—h. No guy’s ever going to look at you again. Don’t worry."
Virk's lawyer, Nader Hasan, declined to comment on specific evidence while the charge remains before the court, but noted that "all of these allegations remain unproven, including the allegation that Mr. Virk is the male voice on the recording."
Law Society's arguments and panel's reasoning
The Law Society argued that public confidence would be shaken if Virk were permitted to continue practising in light of the audio and criminal charges. The panel acknowledged the allegations are serious and the audio recordings contain language that is "violent, misogynistic, threatening, and deeply troubling." However, they found the recordings do not exist in isolation; there are inconsistencies in the complainant's story—she says they were not in a relationship—and no clear case that she was a vulnerable subordinate. The Law Society's investigation is still at an early stage.
"A reasonable member of the public would also be troubled by a lawyer being removed from practice on an interlocutory basis, before any finding of guilt or misconduct, where the record contains significant unresolved issues about context, credibility and the strength of the allegations," the panel concluded. The Law Society said it is reviewing the decision. Virk expressed gratitude: "I am happy to continue practicing law, and vigorously defend my clients as I have been for the past 20 years. I am grateful to the tribunal for making the right decision."
