She’s A Rebel

There are not many places where an attorney can fail to cooperate in a bar investigation into escrow account overdrafts, default on bar charges and avoid suspension as final discipline.

One place where that scenario can play out is New Jersey.

The state Supreme Court  reprimanded an attorney based on a Disciplinary Review Board recommendation

 Although an admonition would ordinarily suffice for respondent’s recordkeeping irregularities and failure to cooperate with the DEC investigator, we consider, as an aggravating factor, respondent’s default. In a default matter, the appropriate discipline is enhanced to reflect the attorney’s failure to cooperate with disciplinary authorities. “A respondent’s default or failure to cooperate with the investigative authorities operates as an aggravating factor, which is sufficient to permit a penalty that would otherwise be appropriate to be further enhanced.” In re Kivler, 193 N.J. 332, 342 (2008). Because respondent allowed the matter to proceed to us by way of a default, we determine that the otherwise appropriate level of discipline for her conduct (admonition) should be enhanced to a reprimand.

Notably, however, she has been on interim suspension for the misconduct since May 2014.

It appears that the attorney may be the same person who gained fame as counsel to Phil Spector in his murder trial. (Mike Frisch)