No Revocation For Suspended Lawyer

The Iowa Supreme Court rejected the recommendation of its Grievance Commission of license revocation and reprimanded the attorney. The attorney had been suspended from practice on three prior occasions. Although the record supported the commission’s findings of numerous ethics violations, the misconduct “occurred contemporaneously with the conduct which formed the basis for [the court’s] conclusion in 2002 that [the attorney’s] license should be suspended with no possibility of reinstatement for three years.” Because the attorney “is presently under suspension and…will be required to satify numerous conditions if he should apply for reinstatement, a more severe penalty will not serve the public or deter future misconduct.” (Mike Frisch)