When You Assume…

In a “case of first impression,” the New Jersey Supreme Court imposed a suspension of six months and barred pro hac vice admission of an attorney whose license was administratively suspended for non-payment of the annual assessment for the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection.

The suspension will be effective if the attorney is reinstated from the administrative suspension.

The attorney was an associate at a firm from 1993 to 2000. The firm paid the assessment. When he joined a new firm, “he mistakenly believed that his CPF fees were being paid by that firm, but took no action to confirm that asumption.”

In fact, it was not paid for ten years.

The attorney practices in New York but appeared in “two or three” New Jersey matters while his license was revoked.

The order here also directs that the discipline be referred to New York authorities. (Mike Frisch)