Canadian Lawyer

'An AmAzing story of redemption' D restored following an inspiring come- back from a personal struggle that includ- ed homelessness, a battle with mental illness, and a return to law school. Apostolopoulos' extraordinary story isbarred lawyer Vassilios Apos- tolopoulos has won his bid to have his licence to practise law backgrounds. It continues to insinuate itself in institutional practices and public attitudes. Stigma hinders effective treat- ment, inclusion, and meaningful recovery. "It compels people to suffer in silence is one of the fall of a legal star to soci- ety's depths. But Apostolopoulos' descent wasn't about greed; it was largely out of his control. His demon was his own mind, one that defied him, separated him from reality, and took him on a path many oth- ers who have suffered from mental-health crises have unwittingly followed. "Every- thing that was solid melted into thin air, he said following a recent Law Society of Upper Canada good-character ruling that restored his licence. Apostolopoulos went to Osgoode Hall " at work and in their homes. Stigma is a key reason why, despite the work and commitment of so many, mental-health care still remains too institutionally frag- mented to meet the real needs and protect the autonomy and dignity of so many vulnerable people. saw around him as limiting and constrain- ing. "It robs you, Apostolopoulos describes the stigma he " he says. " Law School, where he earned his law degree as third in his class. He also received three prizes and an invitation to apply for a Supreme Court clerkship. It was 1993 and he was 34 years old. He began practising at Davies Ward after articling there. In 2002, the law society found Apostolopou- los guilty of professional misconduct and disbarred him. He had failed to account for $102,400 that were the proceeds of the sale of his client D.V. failed to follow up on an undertaking with another lawyer to discharge a mortgage. As a result, he lost his practice and his home. His marriage fell apart and he twice found himself homeless. Apostolopoulos suffered from serious psychological dis- tress dating back to 1990. He had been diagnosed with a mood disorder, but in 1998, after three years of medication and undergoing therapy, he stopped. By 2002, he was jobless and isolated. "The years after that . . . were cata- 's business. He also ary 2003 when his problem was linked to obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep interruptions — more than 50 per hour — affected his memory, judgment, and ability to function. Through the use of a continuous positive airway pressure machine, he was able to achieve a complete cure. He calls it the seminal event. "Within months . . . I started rebuilding my life. It wasn't easy. My finan- cial circumstances were precarious." But the treatment didn't immediatly fix He went back to treatment in Janu- Vassilios Apostolopoulos at his son Dimitri's recent university graduation. traditional qualities distinguish Vassili as someone who appears to have arrived from a different time and place, experiences in public policy, advocacy, and perhaps teaching. But right now, he' centrating on his thesis focusing on the law and ethics of assisted suicide. In applying the tests for a successful Apostolopoulos knows he can use his s con- " he wrote. his life. Without money, he couldn't afford a home and had no reliable access to elec- tricity to power the machine that delivered his treatments. Apostolopoulos decided that was enough. He registered in the country's only graduate medical law pro- gram. Money, however, was still an issue, and while working on his master' strophic," says Apostolopoulos, who notes the stigma was particularly painful. "Stig- ma remains the ultimate and universal barrier that everyone who experiences such medical conditions confronts on a daily basis and in [myriad] ways. It cuts across all classes, professions, and cultural he found himself homeless again and then back in the hospital. But those around him rallied and he was able to complete his degree at Osgoode Hall with distinction. He is now working on his doctorate. He didn't share his story at school until much later as he didn't want people to measure his work by what he had gone through. Professor Bruce Ryder had identified s degree, Apostolopoulos as a gifted student during his early years working on his first degree at Osgoode Hall. In his letter of support to the law society, Ryder, now an assistant dean, said Apostolopoulos stood out from the others not just because of his evident intel- lect but also his humility and grace. "These application, the LSUC hearing panel decid- ed: "Apostolopoulos' course of conduct shows he has faced adversity and made it a stepping-stone to the future. His long and sincere commitment to the new goal of furthering mental-health law and indeed the goal itself shows that he can be trusted and is in every way fit to be a lawyer. Adriana Doyle found support from his medical team, lawyers, and community leaders all indicating Apostolopoulos' honesty, integrity, modesty, and sincerity. They were extremely positive about his prospects. "The panel accepts, on a very high standard of proof, that Mr. Apos- tolopoulos is extremely unlikely to mis- conduct himself again," the panel wrote, noting Apostolopoulos had tried to repay D.V., who eventually told the law society he had been repaid in full and that he didn't oppose his reinstatement as a lawyer. "It's an amazing story of redemp- The three-member panel chaired by " tion," says Ian Roland, who acted on Apostolopoulos' behalf at the hearing. — MARG. BRUINEMAN www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com N O VEMBER / D ECEMBER 2012 9

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