Friday, October 23, 2015

An attorney who engaged in truly horrific sexual assault on a number of clients has been disbarred by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

I will not attempt to summarize the findings of the Disciplinary Board, attached to the court's order. The reader is forewarned that the conduct is spelled out in some detail and is sickening.

The Disciplinary Board

The four witnesses who testified were Respondent's personal injury clients. None of the women had prior consensual sexual relations with Respondent or even knew Respondent before the commencement of the attorney-client relationship. None of the women knew each other. Each of the clients testified in detail about Respondent's nonconsensual physical contact subsequent to their retaining Respondent's legal services. The testimony of each witness was credible and left no doubt as to the repetitive, reprehensible nature of Respondent's conduct.

Respondent's attorney-client relationship with each of the witnesses required him to act in the best interests of his clients. He abrogated his duty of loyalty to his clients by having a concurrent personal interest in having sexual relations with his clients, as evidenced by his text messages, emails, telephone calls and physical contacts. Respondent's sexual contacts violated RPC 1.7(a)(2), which prohibits a concurrent conflict of interest...

Respondent's criminal acts consisted of assault on all four of his clients, unlawful restraint of two clients, and patronizing prostitution in the matter of one client. Respondent took advantage of his clients, resorting to criminal behavior and abusing his clients' trust in him. There is no question that such activity reflects adversely on his fitness to practice law.

Law 360 reported on the bar charges. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2015/10/an-attorney-who-engaged-in-truly-horrific-sexual-assault-on-a-number-of-clients-has-been-disbarred-by-the-pennsylvania-suprem.html