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The Lawyer's Lawyer

Lawyers Helping Lawyers Avoid the Perils of Professional Discipline

Ethics Questions for Ethics Official

Raising questions "about the appearance of impropriety" on the part of its top ethics official, the Supreme Court of Maryland asked whether Bar Counsel used her official position "to undermine ... a candidate in a Judicial election."

Judging Judges

How far will justices of the Supreme Court of Maryland go to protect their colleagues from the criticism of lawyers appearing before them?

Meriting Leniency

Rejecting Bar Counsel's demand for disbarment, the Court found that the lawyer's misguided attempt to respect the last wishes of her client merited leniency in a case which proves that even the best of us make mistakes.

Testing Bar Counsel's Power

As one law professor wrote, this oral "argument delve[d] into the philosophy of attorney regulation and the appropriate role of disciplinary counsel in a way that few cases do."

Avoiding A Disruption To Practice

Bar Counsel wanted to suspend him. The Court wanted him to continue serving his community where "his pro bono legal service and his other volunteer efforts have been exceptional."

The Real Greenacres

Unlike Oliver Wendell Douglas in Greenacres, Bar Counsel wasn't laughing when this Maryland lawyer bought the farm.

Young Lawyer Lessons

Rejecting Bar Counsel's call for an indefinite suspension, a five-judge majority imposed a 60-day suspension on a lawyer whose search for a mentor misfired.

Repeat Offender Spared Disbarment

Despite three prior sanctions, including a prior suspension for similar misconduct, a five-judge majority rejected Bar Counsel's call for disbarment in a case involving the negligent mismanagement of client funds.

Suspending an "Extreme" Sanction

Finding Bar Counsel's call for an indefinite suspension too "extreme," the Court imposed a more modest moratorium on a lawyer with an unblemished record in close to 50 years of practice.

A Long Wait to Reinstate

The Court only suspended him for 60 days. But rather than support a timely reinstatement, Bar Counsel strongly opposed his return to practice after 878 days.
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