Meeting with the Disciplinary Authorities, Best Wishes for a Good Lawyer

I have children through the miracle of adoption.  The adoption process was unpleasant, painful, difficult, humiliating, expensive, and finally something I would do again over and over if the children who are my children were there with the Blond Super Lawyer and me at the end of the day.  My children, to this day keep me motivated to show up--and, if you have read anything I've written here over the last couple of months, it hasn't  been easy.  My daughter was 72 hours old when she was placed in the Blond Super Lawyer's arms.  My 14 month old son was alleged to be "special needs" and unplaceable--my God, we should all have his special needs:  the special need to be loved and be able to give love.  In this and many other departments he is a brilliant and beautiful guy.
 
This mash note to my brats is by way of telling you about a friend of mine who has an appointment with the disciplinary authorities in OurState, today. 

I met BB, nearly 20 years ago when a "targeted adoption" that she was handling as an attorney meant for my friends, Pat and Sharon, which they were prevented by "the adoption rules" then in place because they had adopted a beautiful baby boy, within certain time-frames then in place--even though Pat and Sharon wanted and were able to support a larger family.  My friends would later adopt a second baby--also an amazing beautiful and funny child.  And my friends, Pat and Sharon are the truly gracious and loving God parents in the truest sense of the word for both of my children both formally and informally--as well, as half of the known world. 

But this post is about BB, the adoption and family law attorney who meets with the disciplinary authorities, today.  If you pray, pray for a good outcome for her.  BB deserves a good outcome.  BB did many wonderful things over many years--including bringing discarded children and children lovingly placed for adoption together with loving parents.  Like me she screwed up, without getting into details, I imagine her deviations were not on the scale of mine--but an indiscretion sufficient to cause her endless pain and suffering. BB deserves a good outcome, in my opinon--but we are dealing with the disciplinary authorities of OurState who are capable of inconsistently reprimanding one young lawyer who screws her clients, then lies about it;  while a veteran attorney serving the indigent community who improperly notarizes a document gets suspended.  My point is that while I think the Supremes think they are being consistent, disciplinary outcomes can be and often are arbitrary and capricious.

So here's hoping for a great outcome for a good lawyer.

Bad Lawyers and Good Lawyers

Yesterday, I had lunch with my dear pal, Chris. Chris and I are brothers from different mothers, and we are at similar points in our trajectories personally and professionally. Poor Chris.

Chris has professional experience in IT and PR. When I started my blog I asked for Chris' help in publicizing it and he has hesitated because he says I’m not a Bad Lawyer. In response I sued him. OK, I didn’t sue him, but I insisted that he was mistaken. Chris still hasn't done shiat, I think he wants "crates of money." Hah, he's out of luck.

Also, yesterday that the Supremes of Our State suspended a lawyer of my acquaintance for backdating and notarizing some documents out of sight of the signatory. While I don’t condone such an act, it is absolutely wrong—this was the lawyer’s first offense in 47 years of practice. This is a demonstrably good lawyer who made a no harm/no foul/no injury one time mistake—he will now be suspended. This African/American lawyer provided affordable legal services to a disadvantaged community. This attorney's name is now permanently sullied. Good lawyer or bad lawyer?

I believe I previously mentioned the Judge here in Your Home Town who is up on disciplinary charges because he demanded that a criminal defendant appearing in front of him, cease and desist witness intimidation. The Judge immediately recused himself from further proceedings in the case. This same judge, a graduate of one of the Vatican’s great boy’s preparatory high schools , here in Your Hometown, went after the Bishop and the Bishop’s cronies for gaming the elected officials of Your State during the child sex abuse scandal. Disciplinary counsel is going great guns after the Judge because at the Hometown Law School conference the same Judge had the temerity to criticize the disciplinary counsel's focus on "low-hanging fruit" in the selection of lawyers to persecute, er, prosecute. Good Lawyer or Bad Lawyer?

There really are no good excuses for the mistakes and wrongs committed by Bad Lawyers like myself. We should always make it to court on time, have all of our documents in pristine order, give only perfect advice, win all of our cases, timely file all of our business records, especially our taxes; and, always make sure our bills are timely paid. Anything less—well, the lawyers on Our State’s payroll just won’t tolerate our lack of ethics. The Supremes with their massive private sector experience (in major law firms with marble foyers, silver service, and expense accounts) won’t understand. And Bad Lawyers will be immortalized in the pages of the Bar Journals and if we’re really lucky—in Our Hometown newspapers.

All the pro bono services; all the public service; all the speaking out for the poor, the cowering victims, the individual against the power and majesty of the courts and law; all the professional development and mentoring of other lawyers--none of that can compare with the honor of being a Bad Lawyer.