Rehabilitated From “Win At All Costs”

An attorney who had been suspended for three years was reinstated by the Rhode Island Supreme Court

His suspension was based upon findings by the Supreme Court Disciplinary Board that he had violated multiple Rules of Professional Conduct in his representation of four clients in proceedings before the Family Court. As we noted, the petitioner had repeatedly disregarded both procedural and ethical rules in pursuing a “win at all costs” strategy on behalf of his clients.

Here

We note that, prior to his suspension, the petitioner practiced law in this state for twenty-seven years and had received no disciplinary sanctions. He was, by all accounts, a capable attorney. Moreover, he was fully cooperative in the disciplinary proceedings leading to his suspension, and he appears to have accepted responsibility for his misconduct and to be remorseful for the same.

We are not unmindful of the damage caused to the courts, parties, and the profession by the petitioner’s past conduct. His lack of veracity in his representations to judges and opposing counsel gives us pause in reinstating him to the practice of law. However, he has served his period of suspension without incident. Moreover, the implementation of the Supreme Court Rules Governing Electronic Filing, now applicable in all the courts within the Rhode Island Judiciary, preclude the same type of misconduct from occurring in the future.

He will be monitored for two years. (Mike Frisch)