Opinion ID: 3156792
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: MLRPC 8.4(c)

Text: MLRPC 8.4(c) provides that it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to “engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.” This prohibition “is not limited to conduct in the practice of law, but extends to actions by an attorney in business or personal affairs that reflect on the individual's character 12 Although the hearing judge made this finding in a portion of her opinion entitled “Conclusions of Law” discussing the alleged violation of MLRPC 8.2(a), it appears to be a finding of fact, and so we review it for clear error. 13 In her conclusions of law, the hearing judge observed that, while Mr. Stanalonis had a demonstrable basis for his understanding the Judge Densford had opposed the sex offender registry based on his discussions with Judge Densford and had vetted the statement with others who were familiar with Judge Densford, he should have made “a more substantial effort in ensuring the accuracy” of the statement. The hearing judge did not indicate what that effort would involve and, short of requiring a candidate to vet campaign material with the opposing candidate, it is not clear what that effort would be. 16 and fitness to practice law.” Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Coppock, 432 Md. 629, 644, 69 A.3d 1092 (2013). Not all attorney statements that turn out to be untrue violate MLRPC 8.4(c). “While this Court has sometimes drawn fine distinctions among the four horsemen of the rule – dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation – each pertains to a false statement by an attorney only if the attorney makes use of the false statement knowing that it is untrue.” Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Smith, 442 Md. 14, 34, 109 A.3d 1184 (2015);14 see also Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Mungin, 439 Md. 290, 310, 96 A.3d 122 (2014) (ordinarily, “this Court will not find a violation of MLRPC 8.4(c) when the attorney’s misconduct is the product of negligent rather than intentional misconduct”) (internal quotation marks and brackets omitted). Although it has been suggested on occasion that an attorney might violate MLRPC 8.4(c) by means of a negligent or an “inadvertent” misrepresentation, this Court has generally required that there be a “conscious objective or purpose” to the misrepresentation or omission and the facts of those cases might be more aptly described as intentional failures to communicate truthful information, as opposed to negligent falsehoods. See Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Nwadike, 416 Md. 180, 19495, 6 A.3d 287 (2010) (respondent violated MLRPC 8.4(c) when she acted with a 14 “Dishonesty is the broadest of the four terms, and encompasses, inter alia, conduct evincing a lack of honesty, probity or integrity of principle; [a] lack of fairness and straightforwardness. . . . Thus, what may not legally be characterized as an act of fraud, deceit or misrepresentation may still evince dishonesty.” Attorney Grievance Comm’n of Maryland v. Thomas, 440 Md. 523, 555, 103 A.3d 629 (2014) (internal quotation marks omitted) (alteration in original). 17 “conscious objective or purpose” to conceal information from her client and Bar Counsel); Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Calhoun, 391 Md. 532, 566, 894 A.2d 518 (2006) (respondent violated MLRPC 8.4(c) by “deceitful and misleading” conduct when she received a check for full settlement of client’s case, deposited the check into her own bank account, and did not inform her client for more than a year of the receipt of the funds); Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Ellison, 384 Md. 688, 715, 867 A.2d 259 (2005) (respondent violated MLRPC 8.4(c) when he acted with “conscious objective or purpose” in concealing fact of ongoing representation of a client). The hearing judge did not analyze the application of MLRPC 8.4(c) separately from MLRPC 8.2(a). We agree that, in this context, the two rules should be considered in concert. The hearing judge did not find – and the Commission no longer argues – that the statement in question constituted a knowing falsehood. Nor is there evidence of an omission or misrepresentation with a “conscious objective or purpose” to conceal truthful information. There is not clear and convincing evidence of a violation of MLRPC 8.4(c).