False Start

The Iowa Supreme Court recently decided a disciplinary case that serves as a cautionary tale for young lawyers who enter solo practice without adequate preparation or a safety net of mentors. The attorney, who had enjoyed great personal success prior to launching his legal career, was ill equipped to manage his law practice. His inexperience led to instances of neglect, escrow violations and misrepresentations (for example, he forged client signatures to a bankruptcy petition after travelling to a court to file the document without noticing it was not already signed). There were also indications of mental health issues. The court was not entirely unsympathetic and ordered an indefinite suspension of not less than twelve months.

Here’s a link to an article about the lack of training provided by law schools to students interested in striking out on their own.(Mike Frisch)