Bad Enough To Get Disbarred In New Jersey

I have been quite critical of late of what I perceive to be an unduly lenient system of lawyer discipline in New Jersey.

So it is with relief I report this from the Disciplinary Review Board in a case involving, among other things, misappropriation:

..,respondent has a serious ethics history: a three-month suspension in 2012 and a six-month suspension in 2013. In both of those matters, he displayed dishonest conduct: in the first, by making a misrepresentation to the ethics investigator that he was safekeeping property that was required to be maintained inviolate, and lying under oath at the ethics hearing; and, in the second, by authorizing his paralegal to make false statements to third parties. In all of his disciplinary utter disrespect for ethics authorities. He was found guilty of violating RPC 8.1(b) in his prior matters and in this one, his second default.

Respondent’s pervasive dishonesty, his refusal to cooperate with ethics authorities, and the overriding need to protect the public from attorneys who, like him, demonstrate a deficiency of character require that he be disbarred. We so recommend to the Court.

The Supreme Court agreed. (Mike Frisch)