Opinion ID: 2506955
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Panel's Recommendation

Text: The ODC takes exception to the Panel's recommendation that Respondent should receive a definite suspension of only ninety days or six months. The ODC urges this Court to impose, at a minimum, a nine month suspension so that, prior to his reinstatement, Respondent must appear before the Committee on Character and Fitness. We believe Respondent's conduct, aggravated by prior disciplinary history, warrants a six month suspension from the practice of law. Respondent admitted to sharing with his friend confidential information about Assistant's domestic matter. This included intimate information about Assistant's finances, as well as her physical relationship with her husband. We believe the nature of Respondent's disclosure to be the most offensive type. Additionally, Respondent engaged in the practice of fee sharing, aggravated by paying those shared fees to Assistant directly out of his trust account. This trust account mishandling, if unchecked, could put other clients' money at risk. Finally, we believe Respondent knew of Assistant's plan to underrepresent her income to DHHS, and aided her in doing so by splitting her income between W-2 and 1099 forms. Therefore, we believe Respondent's egregious conduct warrants a six month suspension.