Something To Ponder

The North Carolina State Bar has imposed a censure of an attorney who violated the duty of confidentiality.

From the order

Without either implied or express consent, you revealed the names of a child’s adoptive parents to the child’s biological mother and the child’s former foster mother. This release of information constitutes a misdemeanor under NCGS § 48-10-105 that reflects on your trustworthiness as an attorney. You failed in your response to this grievance to recognize the real or potential harm of your conduct on the child and his adoptive family.

The censure is phrased in this manner

The Grievance Committee trusts that you will ponder this censure, recognize the error that you have made, and that you will never again allow yourself to depart from adherence to the high ethical standards of the legal profession. This censure should serve as a strong reminder and  inducement for you to weigh carefully in the future your responsibility to the public, your clients,your fellow attorneys and the courts, to the end that you demean yourself as a respected member of the legal profession whose conduct may be relied upon without question.

(Mike Frisch)