Misplaced Trust

An attorney who mishandled a wrongful death case has been censured by the New Jersey Supreme Court.

The Disciplinary Review Board considered the harm to the clients

Respondent took advantage of vulnerable clients who had tragically lost their son. Initially, the DeVoses retained the Hunt firm. After that firm acquired a more lucrative client, Essex County, the firm withdrew because of a conflict of interest. Shaken in their trust of attorneys, the DeVoses turned to respondent, whom they knew and trusted. Their children had played together, when they all lived in the same neighborhood. Once again, however, the DeVoses’ trust and confidence in the legal system was shattered. Respondent misled them, for many years, that their case was worth pursuing and that she was capable of pursuing it. In addition, rather than spending the DeVoses’ funds to advance their claim, as they believed she had, she used the funds to pay for own expenses. We find disingenuous respondent’s claim of a reasonable belief that she had the discretion to use the funds as she saw fit. The DEC found her testimony not to be credible.

The DRB and court orders may be found here. (Mike Frisch)