Disgraced Calgary lawyer resigns from top Canadian firm

One of Canadas mostprominent corporate corruption lawyers has resigned from Gowlings, one of the countrys largest law firms, following her suspension from practicing law by Albertas law society.

In a news release Tuesday, Gowlings confirmed Kristine Robidoux had resigned from its Calgary office, where she was a partner and led its Global Business Integrity Practice Group.

A Law Society of Alberta panel suspended Robidoux for four months on Monday after she admitted, in an agreedstatement of facts, she had leaked damaging information about her client, high-profile journalist turned political candidate Arthur Kent, to a newspaper columnist during the 2008 Alberta election.

The events in question took place prior to Ms. Robidoux joining Gowlings in 2008, the news release states, adding that Gowlings takes the matter very seriously and respects the law societys decision.

When appropriate, following the completion of her suspension, we expect Ms. Robidoux to return to the firm, the release states.

Robidoux, a long-time Conservative party supporter, admitted to the law society she provided then-National Post columnist Don Martin with damaging and misleading internal campaign emails and other information, even though she knew Martin intended to write a negative column about Kent.

Martin used the information to write acolumn that derided Kent, the provincial Tory candidate in Calgary-Currie. In the column, he referred to the internationally-known war correspondent as the Scud Dud, areference to his nickname the Scud Stud.

But even realizing the column was unbalanced and wholly negative, Robidoux admitted she did not attempt to set the record straight with Martin.

Journalist revealed source

Robidouxs role as Martins source wasrevealed by the journalist during civil court proceedings in which he also named Tory insiders Rod Love and Alan Hallman.

Kent also sued Love, Hallman and others alleging a conspiracy to harm his reputation but the lawsuits were dismissed as being without merit.

In 2013, Canadian Lawyer magazine named Robidoux one of Canadas 25 most-influential lawyers, in large part due to her handling of high-profile international corruption cases involving corporate clients.

In 2011, Robidoux defended Calgary-based Griffiths Energy after it was charged with bribing the Chadian ambassador to Canada. The charge resulted in the largest settlement - $10 million in the history of the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act.

Robidoux also defended Niko Resources in Canadas first corruption case. The firm pleaded guilty to bribing Bangladeshs junior energy minister in 2005 with a luxury Sports Utility Vehicle and North American trips. The firm was fined $9.5 million