Kamloops mayor parts ways with third lawyer as legal costs continue to mount

Legal costs climb for mayor

Photo: Kristen Holliday

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson leaves the Kamloops Law Courts on Monday, July 7, 2025.

Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson is once again a self-represented litigant.

The mayor is without a lawyer and plans to represent himself in a pending defamation suit against Coun. Katie Neustaeter, against whom he recently lost a separate defamation case.

Hamer-Jackson and lawyer Jody Wells both confirmed to Castanet Kamloops that they have parted ways.

Wells was hired last summer to represent Hamer-Jackson in his first defamation suit against Neustaeter, which he filed in 2023 after Neustaeter made public comments that were critical of the mayor’s actions.

That case was dismissed last month after a judge found the comments Neustaeter made were protected under B.C.’s Protection of Public Participation Act.

Hamer-Jackson did not answer calls from Castanet Kamloops on Wednesday, but said via text message that he only hired Wells’ firm “for the merits of the case.”

Wells told Castanet via email that she had limited availability.

“We had the privilege of being retained by and working with Mayor Hamer-Jackson subject to the firm's limited availability, and sincerely wish His Worship the best of everything moving forward,” she wrote.

Wells did not answer the phone when Castanet called.

Were bills paid?

Neither party responded when asked whether Hamer-Jackson has been paying his bills.

In response, the mayor said he was “way too busy for biased media that rely on sources to make a living.”

He also repeatedly texted that he was in meetings Tuesday afternoon.

The mayor has been sued twice by lawyers over legal bills that were allegedly unpaid.

David McMillan sued Hamer-Jackson for $35,000 in unpaid bills, and Hamer-Jackson agreed to pay more nearly $80,000 to lawyer Daniel Coles.

The McMillan case has been resolved, but the outcome is under seal.

Could be expensive

Hamer-Jackson and Neustaeter are expected to set a date for a new hearing to determine costs.

Neustaeter has been indemnified by the city, but Hamer-Jackson has not. So if the mayor is ordered to pay special costs, it would save taxpayers money.

Neustaeter told Castanet she is still weighing whether to seek damages in the case.

If so, she said she will pay for any associated legal expenses out of pocket.

Hamer-Jackson told Castanet via text message that he hasn’t decided whether to appeal his loss in the Neustaeter case.

In his second defamation suit against Neusteter, the mayor is alleging she made "scandalous" comments about him monitoring her bathroom use.

He also has another one outstanding against developer Joshua Knaak.