Duty To Court Trumps Client’s Wishes

The Delaware Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded a Maryland lawyer who had been admitted pro hac vice by the Court of Chancery for violation of a court order.

The attorney had, at the behest of his client, filed an action in Maryland in violation of a court order in the Delaware matter.

The attorney admitted that the Maryland action violated the Delaware order and “testified credibly that he was under great pressure from his client to file the Maryland Action, that he knew that it violated the Seizure Order, but that he chose to carry out his client’s wishes rather than respect the Seizure Order.”

The Court of Chancery granted the attorney’s motion to withdraw. (Mike Frisch)