Bookies Books

The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board reduced a 30-day suspension to public reprimand

After proceedings conducted pursuant to MCR 9.115, the hearing panel found that respondent committed professional misconduct while operating K-Law, Inc. and d/b/a “Bookies Ham and Soul” (Bookies). Specifically, the panel found that while president of K-Law, Inc. and a manager and operator of Bookies, respondent issued paychecks to an employee when he knew there were insufficient funds to cover the checks written and failed to pay employment taxes, despite issuing a W-2 representing that taxes had been withheld from wages. Respondent was found to have engaged in conduct that exposed the legal profession or the courts to obloquy, contempt, censure, or reproach, in violation of MCR 9.104(2); and that was contrary to justice, ethics, honesty, or good morals, in violation of MCR 9.104(3).

The panel ordered that respondent’s license to practice law be suspended for a period of 30 days. Respondent filed a timely petition for review and a petition for a stay, which resulted in an automatic stay of the hearing panel’s order of suspension, pursuant to MCR 9.115(K).

After review proceedings conducted in accordance with MCR 9.118, the Attorney Discipline Board affirmed the hearing panel’s findings of misconduct, but reduced the discipline imposed from a 30-day suspension to a reprimand.

(Mike Frisch)