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The Lawyer's Lawyer

Lawyers Helping Lawyers Avoid the Perils of Professional Discipline

Posts on the Ethical Duties of Lawyers in the Litigation Process

Frivolous Ethics Charges

Q. If I bring an action without legal or factual justification, I may get sanctioned. Does the same thing apply to Bar Counsel?

A Chat with GPT

Q. Is it ethical for lawyers to use artificial intelligence to write briefs, draft legal instruments or provide other services?

Inhuman Error

Q. To err may be human, but is it a bigger mistake for lawyers to rely on artificial intelligence?

Purging Perjury

Q. After testifying last month that she earned no income other than that reflected on the paystubs and tax returns we put into evidence, my client just told me that she makes extra money "under the table." What are my duties to the client, to the Court and to the IRS?

Courting Public Opinion

Q. My client has just been indicted on 13 counts of fraud and every reporter in town has called me for comment. Should I call them back? 

Anti-Social Media

Q. My injured client just tweeted photos of his hiking the Appalachian Trail. To prevent the defense from finding them, may we delete the tweet?

Ethical "Info Wars"

Q. After his client denied any text messages about this case, defense counsel sent me a thumb drive with hundreds of them, including some attorney-client communications. May I use these?

Leveling the Playing Field

Q. I read that Maryland's Bar Counsel tried to deprive accused lawyers of an equal right to discovery in disciplinary cases. Whatever happened to fundamental fairness?

Challenging the Law

Q. It's a loser under current case law, but my client still wants me to seek relief that would require a major reversal of precedent. If she'll agree to a generous retainer and hourly fees, should I take it?

The Ethics of Intimidation

Q. Representing a large manufacturer, I sent a demand letter threatening to sue its competitor and promising a nasty discovery process that would be the "legal equivalent of a proctology exam." Did I go too far?

Driving into a Conflict?

Q. An engaged couple wants to retain me in an accident case. The boyfriend drove through an intersection when a truck ran a red light and crashed into them. May I represent both?

Fighting for Unicorns

Q. My client, Unicorny Products, wants an immediate restraining order against a counterfeiter that's currently flooding the market with cheap knock-offs. With all that's going on in the world, is it wrong for me to seek emergency relief?

Fighting Fair at Trial

Q. I know it's hearsay, but a week after the accident, police interviewed a bystander who corroborated my client's account and blamed the other driver. If I can't find the witness, may I call the officer to repeat this statement?

Threatening Grievances

​​Q. In reviewing Plaintiff's medical records, I discovered that her counsel altered certain reports to conceal a preexisting injury. Should I report her to Bar Counsel if she doesn't drop the case?

Poor Prognosis for Juris Doctor

Q. Most injury lawyers have difficulty getting treating physicians on the phone. But I just say I'm a "doctor" and their receptionists put me right through. Is that the right prescription?

Deal Without Appeal

Q. I took a complicated contingency case to trial and lost. Now my client wants me to appeal the verdict for free. Must I?

Crossing the Border

Q. Injured on a Delaware highway, my old client spent the night in a Dover hospital, returned to Maryland for more treatment, and called me for representation. I'm not licensed in Delaware. May I take her case?

Profiting from Retainers

​​Q. Unhappy with my client's engineering work, a huge contractor ignored my demand for payment of a $150,000 bill. It's a small sum to the contractor, but a lot of money for my client to lose. With more documents than cash on hand, my client wants to sue and fight "on principle." How should I engineer this?

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.

410.581.0070

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