Brandon lawyer barred from messaging female colleagues for non-work reasons

A Brandon lawyer has been barred from contactingfemale lawyers in Manitoba for any purpose aside from work-related matters.

Ryan William Fawcettagreed to an undertaking, which is a formal promise to eitherdo something or refrain from doing something, with theLaw Society of Manitoba.

He was subsequently prohibitedfrom communicatingwith any female member of the Law Society of Manitoba through FaceTime, text, email or any other direct messaging or video communications application "for any reason other than for strictly work-related matters,"said the notice on the society's website.

The society said Fawcettknew the order, issued last week,would be posted on the law society's website.

"It does not involve formal discipline and therefore, the circumstances giving rise to the undertaking remain confidential," saidLeah Kosokowsky, the society's director of regulation, in an email message which declinedto explain what led to the order.

Fawcett is a practising lawyer based in Brandon with Legal Aid Manitoba,according to the law society's website. Itsays he was called to the bar in 2001.

The notice says Fawcettcan only communicate with a female member of the society for a non-work-related purpose if he first obtains written permission.

The orderwill remain in effect unless and until the society decides to make any changes, or until he's relieved of the restrictions by the society's chief executive officer.

Fawcettsaid in an email to CBC News the issue does not pertain to a disciplinary matter. He did not respond to an additional email requesting an explanation on his conduct.