Hands Off

An attorney retained in a domestic relations matter has accepted a one-year consent suspension for misconduct towards his client.

The attorney is presently 77 years old.

He admitted he engaged in a course of harassing conduct including

making sexually explicit comments about [her] physical appearance, personal attire, attractiveness and sexual preferences and; hugging [her] and requesting [that she] kiss him each time she said goodbye.

She became upset at an office meeting; he responded by kissing her and touching her breasts. backside and crotch.

They had lunch at a hotel; she declined his offer to get room.

The stipulation involve both a concurrent conflict and failure to seek the client’s lawful objectives.

In looking to comparable prior cases, the Disciplinary Review Board concluded that a hand on the client’s knee is less serious than one in the crotch. (Mike Frisch)