Indefinite Suspension By Joint Petition

The Maryland Supreme Court has indefinitely suspended an attorney based on the joint petition of Bar Counsel and the attorney 

Upon consideration of the parties’ joint petition for the indefinite suspension, pursuant to Rule 19-736(b), of attorney Sonya Nicole Hamlin, it is this 20th day of August 2025, by the Supreme Court of Maryland,

ORDERED that the joint petition for indefinite suspension is granted, and, effective immediately, Respondent, Sonya Nicole Hamlin, is indefinitely suspended from the practice law in the State of Maryland for violation of Rules 19-301.1, 19-301.2(a), 19301.3, 19-301.4(a)(2) and (3), 19-301.5(b), 19-301.15(a) and (c), 19-301.16(d), 19308.4(a) and (c), 19-407(b) of the Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct and Sections 10-304 and 10-306 of the Maryland Business Occupations and Professions Article; and it is further

ORDERED that, as proposed in the joint petition, as a condition precedent to reinstatement, Respondent shall complete the three following continuing legal education classes through the Maryland State Bar Association: (1) “Practice Management Series – Help When You Need It,” (2) “IOLTA Management for Lawyers,” and (3) “Trust Me I’m a Lawyer: Handling Trust Accounts and Fees;” and it is further

ORDERED that Respondent shall pay costs in the amount of $693.00 to the Office of Bar Counsel; and it is further

ORDERED that the Clerk of this Court shall provide notice of this Order in accordance with Maryland Rule 19-761.

Above the Law had a story in April 2016 about the attorney’s marriage to movie star Idris Elba

Hamlin, who up until recently tweeted under the handle @blasianlawyer13, cached version available here, married Elba in 2006 and the pair were only married for a few weeks before his career aspirations began to tear the couple apart. Hamlin tells the Daily Mail:

‘People were telling him he was going to ruin his career,’ she says. ‘He was being told it was an important part of his image to be a single sex symbol in Hollywood and being married would damage that. ‘It was very sad. Idris and I were madly in love, but he was getting a lot of flak for being married. Everyone was like, “Dude, you’re the hottest sex symbol!”

‘“It wasn’t the right look”, that’s what they were telling him. I wanted to save the marriage.’

But more than just being held back by a generic ball and chain, their marriage was also strained by her legal career. Hamlin is a property attorney in Maryland, not in a position to follow her man across the country as he tried to launch his movie career:

‘I had a flourishing law practice and it was the height of the real estate boom, and he was making the transition into the movie industry,’ she says. ‘It was hard.’

Though Sonya was the breadwinner, Elba refused to exploit her. ‘He’s prideful,’ she says. ‘He wasn’t a kept man – he wouldn’t let me keep him. He’d whip out his wallet and pay for anything. He’d spend his last penny on me. He’s a man’s man.’

But the pressure on their new marriage was intense, and Elba felt the pull of Hollywood, while Sonya was tied to her law practice in Maryland and could not uproot it to be with her husband in California.

It also seems Hamlin just didn’t fit the image of celebrity arm candy, and that didn’t sit right with some in Elba’s inner circle:

Yet the truth may also more hurtful. She [Hamlin] believes Elba was also swayed by friends who felt that he should have a bombshell young starlet by his side, rather than a property lawyer, however attractive.

Only six weeks after tying the knot, Elba decided he wanted to end it all. Sonya sighs: ‘Some people used to say, “Why her?” That’s what they were telling him. It used to upset him. He was like, “Why don’t people just let me be happy?”

‘I couldn’t understand how it would damage his career because I saw actors like Denzel [Washington] be successfully married. But I don’t think those actors’ wives are running law firms.’

After six weeks as husband and wife, the two called it quits. In her interview, Hamlin calls Elba the love of her life, and says she was heartbroken over the split. Now, ten years after the brief marriage, Hamlin wishes Elba the best in love and in his career. And she says she’s moved on as well, with a good relationship and a thriving legal practice.

(Mike Frisch)