Tag Archives: Attorney Misconduct

Lawyers Are Members of a Privileged Class?

Shockingly those words were actually uttered by a New York lawyer during a meeting with who he thought was a potential client.  The lawyer boasted that “they don’t send the lawyers to jail because we run the country,” that lawyers are “members … Continue reading

Posted in Reform | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Corporate In-House Counsel Embezzled Millions

Longtime in-house senior patent lawyer, Jason Throne, recently admitted to defrauding Hunter Douglas in an elaborate 14-year embezzlement scheme in which he bilked the company out of over $5 million, according to The Denver Post. An earlier Denver Post article, … Continue reading

Posted in Billing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Happens To Lawyers When They Miss Death Row Deadlines? Apparently Nothing

On November 16, 2014, The Washington Post ran an article written by Ken Armstrong for The Marshall Project titled When Lawyers Stumble, Only Their Clients Fall, about when court-appointed lawyers miss deadlines for filing death-penalty habeas corpus appeals.  Federal habeas corpus appeals typically occur after … Continue reading

Posted in Reform | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Elderly and Others Beware

A well-respected elder law attorney in New Jersey who offered seminars on end of life affairs pleaded guilty on Monday to first degree money laundering, admitting she stole millions of dollars from elderly clients.  According to the State of New … Continue reading

Posted in Vetting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Criminal Cases Also Need A Level Playing Field

A Texas District Attorney reportedly hides evidence and secures a murder conviction. Twenty-five years later DNA evidence exonerates an innocent man, and a Texas judge issues an arrest warrant for the former DA, who is now a judge himself.  Sounds … Continue reading

Posted in Reform | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Surviving An Attorney/Client Relationship Breakdown

There you are all alone, your lawyer has turned against you, treating you like the enemy.  Perhaps you questioned his/her strategy, competence, or billings, and s/he reacted like a cornered cat.  What do you do? Jim Moorhead, Harvard College and … Continue reading

Posted in Tips | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are State Bar Grievance Committees “Good Ol’ Boy Systems”?

Every practicing attorney in the U.S. is licensed by one or more state bar associations, and those licensing entities have grievance committees that address ethics complaints filed against attorneys they license.  What many legal consumers may not know is that … Continue reading

Posted in Reform | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Attorney Disbarred for Fee Ultimatum to Clients

The New Hampshire Supreme Court disbarred an attorney this week for giving an ultimatum to his clients in February of 2006: agree to his $2 million fee or he would not represent them in the mediation taking place that same … Continue reading

Posted in Billing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Caveat Emptor – Legal Buyer Beware

In December 2011, Debra Cassens Weiss posted an article on the ABA Journal website titled Suit by Fired Lawyer Claims Law Firm Encouraged Fraud with 3000-Hour Billable Quota.  The article reported on a California lawyer’s employment bias law suit alleging he … Continue reading

Posted in Billing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s 2012, Do You Know If The Attorney You Are Choosing Has A Disciplinary History?

In the long-running saga of Lindsay Lohan’s legal troubles, every single misstep — each dirty drug test, every missed court appearance, even a profane message etched on her fingernail — was publicized, scrutinized and dissected in tabloids the world over. … Continue reading

Posted in Vetting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment