Opinion ID: 2196847
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Respondent advised his client to disobey a court order.

Text: This not only constituted a violation of DR 7-106(A), but it also exposed his client to sanctions for contempt. This latter fact serves to emphasize the seriousness of respondent's violation as well as the potential harm to his client. ABA Standard 6.22 provides that suspension is the appropriate sanction when an attorney causes interference or potential interference with a legal proceeding. The evidence is undisputed that respondent knew he was advising his client to disobey and court order and therefore interfered with the legal proceeding. Furthermore, he caused substantial harm to Ms. Phelps by denying her any contact with her children for four weeks. Suspension is also appropriate for this conduct under Standard 7.2 since respondent knowingly engaged in conduct in violation of a duty owed to the profession (counseling a client to act in a way which would subject a client to sanctions for contempt) and caused potential injury to his client. Although no contempt proceeding was brought, respondent placed his client in the position where such a proceeding could have been brought.