Opinion ID: 2298326
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Petitioner's Subsequent Conduct and Reformation; Present Character

Text: Following his convictions on December 8, 2004, the petitioner had to face their consequences on his professions: he was both an attorney and a registered lobbyist in the State of Maryland. Within a little more than four months, on April 28, 2005, while his appeal of the judgments was pending, he joined with Bar Counsel to file a Joint Petition for Disbarment. In that petition, he admitted engaging in conduct that was both criminal and violative of the Maryland rules of Professional Conduct and that an appropriate sanction for the conduct was disbarment, to which he consented. Moreover, he closed his law practice promptly, closed all financial accounts in an appropriate fashion, and promptly notified his clients by mail and by phone of the termination of his practice, recommending other attorneys when requested and appropriate. Shortly after consenting to disbarment, on June 23, 2005, in response to the Maryland State Ethics Commission's complaint to revoke his lobbying registration as a result of the convictions, the petitioner entered into a public Stipulation of Settlement, in which he agreed to the revocation, a public reprimand and other sanctions. The petitioner was sentenced to a one year term of imprisonment, which was suspended in favor of five years probation, the payment of restitution and community service. In January, 2005, rather than seek to stay the performance until after the appeal was decided, he arranged with Charles H. Mooneyhan, Executive Director of The Wells House, Inc., a State certified alcohol and drug addiction provider, [23] located in Hagerstown, Maryland, and the president of the Maryland Association of Alcohol & Drug Continuing Care Facilities (the Maryland Halfway House Association) [24] to do his community service hours at the Wells House. [25] In less than 12 months, by January 23, 2006, the petitioner had performed more than 1,000 hours, primarily as a volunteer direct care worker. The records that were sent to the court were quite detailed. They revealed that the petitioner was consistent in his performance and that he was committed to the work of the House. Indeed, on a number of occasions, he lived in overnight, acting as resident manager of the House so that the active Manager could have the night off. On one occasion, during the last week of June into the first week of July, the petitioner even stayed in residence, taking responsibility for overall supervision, to allow the executive staff to attend an out of state alcohol-related conference. In addition to performing the 1,000 hours of community service while his appeal was pending, the petitioner paid the restitution, as ordered, although he mortgaged his home to do so. Moreover, even though he maintains that the financial consequences of [his] conviction and loss of savings and income has been devastating, when the convictions were overturned, the petitioner was required to forego any attempt at recovery of the restitution. Since becoming associated with Richard Vincent and the Maryland State Bar Association Lawyer Assistance Program, the petitioner has remained abuse free and has worked with the Lawyers Assistance Program. Although he had completed his community service hours and his convictions had been, by then, reversed, without retrial, in April 2008, the petitioner expressed the desire to return to Wells House for the summer and do volunteer work. He explained: This April, not being professionally very busy, I took up temporary residence in Hagerstown and began volunteering again at Wells House. As I write this letter to you, I am working four to six hours each day. Unable to practice law, I have been working with the House's clients on securing GED's, filling out employment applications, holding mock interview sessions and the like. I continue to attend meetings of a particular fellowship and drive the clients to and from. This has allowed me to make contributions of a substantive nature. Mr. Mooneyhan confirms: Through our clients Ira met many recovering alcoholics and addicts in the local community. He also provided many of these individuals his personal advice, as well as other non-legal services.... [S]ince his arrival in April, he has been at the Wells House a minimum of six days a week, many hours each day. As a former teacher, Mr. Cooke has tutored some of our clients and helped them prepare for their GED examinations. He has also helped some of our clients with job applications and resume preparation, as well as providing transportation to some of these clients by driving them to job interviews and other appointments. Since 2006, the petitioner has supported himself and his dependent minor children, of whom he has shared custody, doing limited consulting, as executive director, for two trade associations, Sedan Transportation Association of Maryland and Greater Washington Bail Bond Association and with a New Jersey real estate development company. He describes what he does for these associations and company as watch[ing] their properties and work[ing] with their regional managers on business matters. On December 14, 2006, three days after the Court of Appeal reversed his convictions, the petitioner's lobbying registration was restored. Pointing out that [t]he jurisdictional basis for [its] complaint, [the] stipulation and order was the criminal conviction in California arising from [the petitioner's] lobbying activities and noting that those convictions had been reversed, the Ethics Commission determined to dismiss the complaint and to set aside the acceptance of the Stipulation of settlement, which it did. The petitioner reports: I have three Annapolis clients with no expectation or desire for growth. The petitioner's desire is to return to the practice of law, relocate to Hagerstown, and open a small practice in which [he] can devote significant time to the representation of individuals and families disadvantaged by social conditions. He wants a local practice, he states, divorced from either the atmosphere in Baltimore or especially Annapolis, one which will allow him to enjoy the pleasures and tribulations of a small time and town practice.