Double Secret Probation?

The Supreme Court of Minnesota disbarred an attorney who was admitted in 1990 as a result of a pattern of misconduct including neglect, lack of diligence, failure to account for legal fees, failure to pay a judgment incurred in a professional capacity and failure to notify clients of an earlier suspension. The court recites a lengthy history of prior discipline that includes a prior suspension and four admonitions. Also in the mix is an earlier sanction of “private probation.” If I were a client, I’d be uncomfortable with the possibility that my lawyer was on probation but that the sanction was a private matter between the lawyer and the bar. (Mike Frisch)