Reinstatement Granted To Attorney Who Filed False Affidavit Against Law School Dean

Reinstatement was granted by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court of a petitioner suspended for a year and a day in 2013.

From the hearing panel report

At the request of a former law school classmate (GL) who was suing, among others, the dean of their former law school, the petitioner signed an affidavit, knowing that it was to be filed in at least one court. He attested in the affidavit that he had done an investigation and that the dean, who is African American, “has been described to me by Massachusetts licensed African American lawyers and other Massachusetts lawyers of Caribbean decent [sic] … to be ‘unprofessional, sophomoric, silly. He also attested that the dean “‘was given a free house to live in Bristol County [sic] which is paid for by the law school and taxpayer dollars.”‘ The affidavit was submitted in two superior court actions. The petitioner made the statements either knowing that they were false and/or deceptive and misleading, or with reckless disregard for their truth or falsity. The petitioner stipulated to the misconduct, which violated rules 8.4(c) and 8.4(d). (citations to record omitted)

Now

We found the testimony of the two witnesses, together with the three affidavits, to be pertinent and persuasive. They lent significant support to the petitioner’s effort to demonstrate both the moral fitness and learning in the law required for reinstatement…

In June 2014, the petitioner took the MCLE course “How to Make Money and Stay out of Trouble.”

Another attorney involved in the case was suspended for six months and a day.

Abovethelaw reported on the Dean’s resignation. (Mike Frisch)