Lawyer Discipline

Lawyer accused of seeking Israeli hackers to obtain judge’s personal emails

A California lawyer is accused of planning to hire Israeli hackers to access the personal email and phone accounts of a judge who later ordered him to disgorge $1.65 million in attorney fees.

Jun 12, 2024 9:26 AM CDT

Lawyer gives up license after pleading guilty to misdemeanor assaults, including one involving associate

A Washington lawyer has agreed to give up his law license, rather than fight allegations stemming from his guilty plea to misdemeanor assaults on a Delta Air Lines flight and after a work-sponsored event.

Jun 5, 2024 9:42 AM CDT

‘Colorful’ attorney with ‘massive client list’ sentenced for $2M theft, impersonating his lawyer

A New Jersey lawyer was sentenced to 5½ years in prison Thursday for stealing more than $2 million from his clients and, after he was charged, impersonating his lawyer in a letter to a bank.

Jun 4, 2024 9:54 AM CDT

Judging the Judges

While legal ethics experts say state judicial oversight tends to be more aggressive than in the federal system, there’s still a wide difference in execution between jurisdictions. In addition, critics say some states need to make their judicial oversight processes and judicial disclosure reports more transparent.

Jun 1, 2024 4:00 AM CDT

DC law licensing board recommends Rudy Giuliani be disbarred

The District of Columbia board that oversees attorney discipline recommended Friday that Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor and personal attorney to former president Donald Trump, not be allowed to practice law in the nation’s capital.

May 31, 2024 3:55 PM CDT

Lawyer disbarred following alleged cocaine-licking assault on employee at nightclub he owned

A New York lawyer convicted in 2008 for allegedly licking cocaine off a waitress at the nightclub that he owned was disbarred last week partly for his conduct in a civil lawsuit that followed.

May 24, 2024 9:35 AM CDT

Ex-BigLaw attorney once ‘consumed with remorse’ over $10M client theft sentenced in new scheme

A disbarred New York lawyer who served time for stealing $10.7 million from clients is facing more prison time after pleading guilty in a scheme to defraud the government out of $1.4 million in COVID-19 relief funds.

May 23, 2024 11:06 AM CDT

9 legal malpractice trends in 2024

Legal malpractice is costing law firms big bucks, and it’s expected to fetch even more soon. Multimillion-dollar payouts increased year over year, according a 2023 report comparing 2022 numbers with the prior year report by Ames & Gough, a business insurance and risk management consultancy.

May 22, 2024 1:41 PM CDT

California bar plans to expunge attorney discipline records under certain conditions

The State Bar of California's board of trustees approved a plan last week to expunge discipline records automatically for attorneys who have not been disbarred.

May 20, 2024 9:21 AM CDT

Judge ordered removed for ‘troubling inability to conform his behavior’ to judicial standards

A California judge who hoped to find the “mole” cooperating with ethics investigators sought a review of employee emails and the hiring of outside counsel to complete the investigation, according to a May 2 decision ordering his removal from office.

May 8, 2024 10:10 AM CDT

Former top prosecutor in St. Louis ‘remains elusive,’ says state auditor who can’t find her

The former top prosecutor for St. Louis “remains elusive,” and “her whereabouts are currently unknown,” according to a May 6 press release by the Missouri state auditor.

May 7, 2024 2:23 PM CDT

Lawyer suspended after he’s accused of plying teens with alcohol and touching one of them sexually

The Ohio Supreme Court has suspended a lawyer who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault after being accused of touching his stepdaughter’s 18-year-old friend in a sexual manner during a sleepover in which she became sick from drinking the alcohol that he supplied.

Apr 25, 2024 3:21 PM CDT

Lawyer accused of seeking Israeli hackers to obtain judge’s personal emails

Lawyer gives up license after pleading guilty to misdemeanor assaults, including one involving associate

‘Colorful’ attorney with ‘massive client list’ sentenced for $2M theft, impersonating his lawyer

Judging the Judges

DC law licensing board recommends Rudy Giuliani be disbarred

Lawyer disbarred following alleged cocaine-licking assault on employee at nightclub he owned

Ex-BigLaw attorney once ‘consumed with remorse’ over $10M client theft sentenced in new scheme

9 legal malpractice trends in 2024

California bar plans to expunge attorney discipline records under certain conditions

Judge ordered removed for ‘troubling inability to conform his behavior’ to judicial standards

Former top prosecutor in St. Louis ‘remains elusive,’ says state auditor who can’t find her

Lawyer suspended after he’s accused of plying teens with alcohol and touching one of them sexually

Lawyer disbarred for destroying his computer, altering metadata before ethics hearing

Lawyer reprimanded after mistakenly emailing opposing counsel with plan to avoid judge’s call

Lawyer’s actions in discipline matter lead to worse penalty

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