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With respect to a non-attorney employed or retained by or associated with an attorney:

(a) a partner, and an attorney who individually or together with other attorneys possesses comparable managerial authority in a law firm shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that the firm has in effect measures giving reasonable assurance that the person's conduct is compatible with the professional obligations of the attorney;

(b) an attorney having direct supervisory authority over the non-attorney shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that the person's conduct is compatible with the professional obligations of the attorney;

(c) an attorney shall be responsible for conduct of such a person that would be a violation of the Maryland Attorneys' Rules of Professional Conduct if engaged in by an attorney if:

(1) the attorney orders or, with the knowledge of the specific conduct, ratifies the conduct involved; or

(2) the attorney is a partner or has comparable managerial authority in the law firm in which the person is employed, or has direct supervisory authority over the person, and knows of the conduct at a time when its consequences can be avoided or mitigated but fails to take reasonable remedial action; and

(d) an attorney who employs or retains the services of a non-attorney who (1) was formerly admitted to the practice of law in any jurisdiction and (2) has been and remains disbarred, suspended, or placed on inactive status because of incapacity shall comply with the following requirements:

(A) all law-related activities of the formerly admitted attorney shall be (i) performed from an office that is staffed on a full-time basis by a supervising attorney and (ii) conducted under the direct supervision of the supervising attorney, who shall be responsible for ensuring that the formerly admitted attorney complies with the requirements of this Rule.

(B) the attorney shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the formerly admitted attorney does not:

(i) represent himself or herself to be an attorney;

(ii) render legal consultation or advice to a client or prospective client;

(iii) appear on behalf of or represent a client in any judicial, administrative, legislative, or alternative dispute resolution proceeding;

(iv) appear on behalf of or represent a client at a deposition or in any other discovery matter;

(v) negotiate or transact any matter on behalf of a client with third parties;

(vi) receive funds from or on behalf of a client or disburse funds to or on behalf of a client; or

(vii) perform any law-related activity for (a) a law firm or attorney with whom the formerly admitted attorney was associated when the acts that resulted in the disbarment or suspension occurred or (b) any client who was previously represented by the formerly admitted attorney.

(C) the attorney, the supervising attorney, and the formerly admitted attorney shall file jointly with Bar Counsel (i) a notice of employment identifying the supervising attorney and the formerly admitted attorney and listing each jurisdiction in which the formerly admitted attorney has been disbarred, suspended, or placed on inactive status because of incapacity; and (ii) a copy of an executed written agreement between the attorney, the supervising attorney, and the formerly admitted attorney that sets forth the duties of the formerly admitted attorney and includes an undertaking to comply with requests by Bar Counsel for proof of compliance with the terms of the agreement and this Rule. As to a formerly admitted attorney employed as of July 1, 2006, the notice and agreement shall be filed no later than September 1, 2006. As to a formerly admitted attorney hired after July 1, 2006, the notice and agreement shall be filed within 30 days after commencement of the employment. Immediately upon the termination of the employment of the formerly admitted attorney, the attorney and the supervising attorney shall file with Bar Counsel a notice of the termination.

Attorney Grievance defense attorney specializes in defending lawyers in disciplinary proceedings before the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission and the D.C. Bar's Board on Professional Responsibility involving professional misconduct, legal ethics, disbarment, suspensions of law licenses, petitions for disciplinary action, reprimands and sanctions for unethical conduct. If you receive a letter from Bar Counsel Lydia Lawless, Disciplinary Counsel Hamilton Fox, or from any attorney disciplinary board in Maryland or the District of Columbia, retain experienced attorneys with expertise in lawyer discipline and breach of ethics cases to avoid sanctions for professional misconduct. We help lawyers avoid disbarment, suspension, reprimands, censure and informal admonitions by drafting responses to client grievances and ethical complaints; representing lawyers in peer reviews, evidentiary hearings, and oral arguments before the BPR and the Court of Appeals; filing petitions to reinstate an attorney's license to practice law; conducting law firm ethical compliance audits; and drafting legal ethics opinions to protect lawyers from ethics charges. In many cases, disciplinary proceedings may be dismissed, dismissed with a warning, or result in a conditional diversion agreement with Bar Counsel to rectify misconduct. Lawyers may need help in managing their law firm attorney escrow IOLTA trust account and complying with attorney trust accounting rules to avoid charges of ethical misconduct. Do not represent yourself in responding to an attorney grievance, law firm client complaint, or other allegation of ethical impropriety. Attorney grievance defense counsel may help you comply with legal ethics rules, avoid sanctions like suspension or disbarment, and avoid future attorney grievances.

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By The Lawyer's Lawyers | Kramer & Connolly and Irwin R. Kramer who are responsible for the content of this informational website.   This website is designed for lawyers faced with attorney grievances. As cases do differ, past performance does not guarantee future results.
 

NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE ATTORNEY GRIEVANCE COMMISSION OF MARYLAND
OR THE BOARD ON PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE D.C. BAR