Thirty-Eighth State Adopts Duty of Technology Competence
In 2012, the ABA adopted an amendment to ABA Model Rule of Professional Responsibility 1.1, comment 8, providing that “a lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law and its …
Judge Given “Public Warning” for Refusing to Perform Same-Sex Marriages
On November 12, 2019, the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct “publicly warned” a judge who performed opposite-sex marriages, but who “declined to perform same-sex weddings.” More particularly, the judge …
November 2019 Discipline
These lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations published during the month of November 2019. Louisiana Supreme Court Douglas L. Uzee, …
Reprimand Recommended for Lawyer Who Threated to “Punch the Sh*t” Out of Opposing Counsel
On November 6, 2019, a Hearing Committee of the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommended the public reprimand of New Orleans lawyer Ike Spears for threatening to “punch the shit” out …
Judicial Recusal From Cases Involving Friends, Acquaintances, and Closer Relations
In September 2019, the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility issued a formal opinion entitled Judges’ Social or Close Personal Relationships with Lawyers or Parties as Grounds for …
Lawyer Disciplined for Multi-Tasking at CLE
The Supreme Court of Kansas disciplined a lawyer for making a “materially false statement” in reporting his attendance at an MCLE program. See In re Mathews, No. 120,924 (Ks. Sep. …
Court Reports Lawyer for Filing Brief Filled with “Gibberish”
We have all seen this brief before. But the Seventh Circuit could take it no more. In a November 2019 opinion, the court noted that “[b]ad writing does not normally …
Judge Expressly Orders Lawyer to Violate Rules of Professional Conduct
It is not uncommon for public defenders in Louisiana to complain that being forced to handle an excessive criminal-defense caseload violates Louisiana Rule of Professional Conduct 1.1. That rule requires …
Judge Reprimanded for Facebook “Likes” and “Shares” on Social Issues
May a judge tacitly comment on social issues of the day by “liking” and “sharing” posts by others on Facebook? No, according to a November 2019 public reprimand by the …
May a Lawyer Incentivize Favorable Online Reviews?
Online legal directories (such as Avvo) permit clients to review and rate their lawyers. Likewise, innumerable social-media sites (like Facebook, YouTube, and others) allow users to “connect” with lawyers and …