Maine Accepts License Surrender
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has accepted the license surrender of an attorney previously suspended on an interim basis.
Maine Public reported on the interim suspension
The Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar has taken the unusual step of suspending a Gardiner attorney for what it says are “multiple violations ” of the Maine Rules of Professional Conduct, including sexual harassment and conflict of interest.
Clarence Spurling was ordered to vacate his law office and has been suspended from practicing law until further notice.
Following a hearing earlier this month, Superior Court Justice Valerie Stanfill found that Spurling engaged in unwelcome touching and made sexual advances to two of his clients, one of whom was incapacitated at the time.
“Under the facts presented by the Board, this court concludes that Attorney Spurling’s misconduct serves as an imminent threat to clients, the public and to the administration of justice,” Stanfill wrote.
According to a published report, Spurling was fired from his job as a Maine probation officer in 1984 for sexually harassing female coworkers.
He ran unsuccessfully to serve as a Kennebec County probate judge in 2016.
Kennebec Journal published a February 2021 story on civil suits by former clients.
An attorney whose license to practice law in Maine has been suspended has denied allegations made in a civil complaint by the second of two women who say he sexually assaulted them.
…The woman’s claims include sexual assault, legal malpractice and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, stemming from her interactions with him while he served as her attorney. Her complaint alleges he repeatedly touched her in a sexual way, made inappropriate sexual jokes to her on several occasions, flirted with her and made sexually suggestive comments to her, suggesting to her that she should dress provocatively when she came to see him.
In his response, Spurling said the woman acted voluntarily, knowingly and intentionally and that she consented to his conduct. He said her claims are a result of her own conduct and preexisting condition. And while he acknowledged he touched her inappropriately he disagreed about the nature of that touching.
As for her claims of negligence, he said her negligence was equal to or greater than his alleged negligence.
Spurling also said no attorney-client relationship existed between them during the time the behavior that prompted her claim took place.Because this woman and another, who filed a civil claim in October against Spurling, are alleging sexual assault and have not consented to speaking on the record, the Kennebec Journal is not naming them.
(Mike Frisch)