Opinion ID: 1950784
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Right to the Effective Assistance of Counsel

Text: The second potential source of relief for the defendant is his claim that he was deprived of the effective assistance of counsel. Although it is necessary, it is not sufficient for a defendant to have counsel in name only. Counsel must provide effective representation under an objective standard of reasonableness. If there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different, the assistance is considered ineffective. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S.Ct. at 2068; People v. Pickens, 446 Mich. 298, 314, 521 N.W.2d 797 (1994). The right to counsel is thus substantive, focusing on the actual assistance received, rather than mere form. We decline to hold that representation by a suspended attorney alone creates a reasonable probability of ineffective assistance. The Court of Appeals based its decision partly on an attempt to distinguish between suspensions for administrative and financial reasons, and those for substantive and disciplinary reasons. It held that a suspension for disciplinary reasons reflects a lack of either competency or ethics in the attorney. Thus, in People v. Brewer, 88 Mich.App. 756, 279 N.W.2d 307 (1979), the Court of Appeals remanded for a hearing regarding whether the defendant had been deprived of the effective assistance of counsel when he was represented by an attorney who had been suspended for failure to pay bar dues. The Court did not reach the question whether a suspension for the failure to pay dues necessarily reflects on an attorney's ability to practice law. However, it concluded that Mr. Cohen's suspension based on the drug offense constituted a positive determination that he was not fit to practice law. We reject the Court of Appeals distinction between administrative and substantive discipline. The dispositive issue is the attorney's effectiveness as counsel, rather than the nomenclature used to describe the disciplinary proceedings. Either administrative or substantive discipline may reflect on an attorney's professional competency, and either may also reflect shortcomings that are purely personal. For example, the failure to pay bar dues may be an intentional violation of the rule which demonstrates that the attorney does not accord proper weight to the rules. That failure also may raise the possibility that an attorney will neglect a client's interests as well because the attorney is unable or unwilling to keep track of obligations. Thus, administrative discipline may reflect on an attorney's fitness to practice law, while substantive discipline will not always demonstrate professional incompetence. For example, an assaultive offense committed by an attorney reveals personal flaws, but does not necessarily reflect on the attorney's professional capacities. We accordingly reject the conclusion that certain suspensions always implicate an attorney's fitness to practice law. The suspension of an attorney reflects a decision that the attorney is not permitted to practice law during the period of the suspension, rather than a statement that the attorney is not competent to practice law. There is no necessary correlation between disciplinary action and an attorney's ability to practice law, and we decline to create such a connection as a matter of law. Again, this conclusion is supported by results reached by certain other jurisdictions that have grappled with the same questions. [3] Attorneys may be suspended from the practice of law for a multitude of reasons, which persuades us that a rule of reversal per se would be incorrect. Also, because there is no necessary correlation between an attorney's suspension and competency, we do not automatically remand for a hearing on the effectiveness of counsel. Such a hearing will not always be appropriate or necessary in the context of a suspended attorney. If a convicted defendant is convinced that an attorney's representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness, the appropriate procedure is to seek a Ginther hearing on the effective assistance of counsel. [4] We also do not foreclose the possibility that the suspension of one's attorney may support a finding of ineffective assistance of counsel following such a hearing, as where an attorney sought to hurry proceedings unduly in order to decrease the possibility of exposure. [5] A closer examination of the application of the disciplinary rules supports our conclusion that there is no necessary correlation between an attorney's suspension and competency. The offense for which Mr. Cohen was suspended occurred years before his representation of the defendant. His suspension was automatically stayed upon his petitioning for review, as are all suspensions under 179 days in length. MCR 9.115(K). Although we recognize that discipline should not attach until there has been a determination that it is warranted, it would be possible to establish a rule providing for automatic suspension upon conviction of a misdemeanor such as Mr. Cohen's offense. [6] The lack of such a rule demonstrates that the offense alone is not considered sufficient to render the offending attorney unfit to practice. Also, the fact that suspensions are automatically stayed shows that the decision to suspend, even when made, does not imply that the attorney is not competent to practice law. The disciplinary rules are intended to protect the public, the courts, and the legal profession. MCR 9.105. They are not solely focused on protecting the public from ineffective representation. The legal profession must be protected from a perception that drug dealers are accepted into it with impunity, which alone would justify Mr. Cohen's suspension. We must avoid the irreparable harm done to the Bar and to public confidence in the administration of justice when persons known to be convicted of crimes continue to hold themselves out as officers of the court. State Bar Grievance Administrator v. Sauer, 390 Mich. 449, 456, 213 N.W.2d 102 (1973). Because a hearing is not always necessary in order to safeguard the right to counsel, we are also persuaded against adopting a rule of automatic remand because of the effect such a rule would have on the courts. If the hearing was necessary to protect a fundamental right, we would not subordinate[][it] to judicial efficiency. Op. at 598. However, procedural concerns are an appropriate consideration where, as here, the right is not a risk. We will not interpret the rules in a way that places an undue burden on the courts they are designed to protect. We will not impose on the courts the burden of ascertaining that each attorney who appears before a tribunal has a valid, current license, in order to avoid the invalidation of their verdicts. Also, we will not encourage continued practice by suspended attorneys by turning them into walking reversals, so that any client may claim reversal on the basis simply of having chosen an attorney facing disciplinary proceedings. [7] Mr. Cohen's compounded offense of continuing to practice while under suspension likewise does not necessitate the conclusion that his representation of the defendant fell below the objective standard of reasonableness. This type of conduct unbecoming a lawyer may well require further proceedings against Mr. Cohen, but those proceedings are a separate matter and may not, under these circumstances, be used to attack the validity of the conviction of the defendant. The consequences of Mr. Cohen's actions are to be borne by him alone, rather than used to affect the conviction of his client. If the defendant believes that Mr. Cohen failed to provide adequate representation, he may seek relief from judgment by asserting the ineffective assistance of counsel and requesting a Ginther hearing. The possibility that an attorney's suspension may sometimes reflect on the effectiveness of representation does not justify a rule of reversal per se or automatic remand for a hearing on effectiveness.