Opinion ID: 1487866
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Jane Jones

Text: Jane Jones retained the Respondent on May 6, 2003 to represent her in a child support and visitation matter. In the course of the Respondent's representation of Jones, he made inappropriate statements, inquiries, and gestures on two separate occasions. On April 8, 2004:  The Respondent said to Jones, I cannot believe a woman with your looks and personality isn't dating;  The Respondent asked Jones when they would be going away together;  The Respondent asked Jones questions regarding impotence drugs such as Viagra [Jones is a Registered Nurse], including What would you do for a man who had a four hour erection? and  The Respondent made an open-arm gesture and refused to let Jones leave his office until she hugged him. On April 26, 2004, the Respondent asked Jones, When are you going to have sex with me? Rule 8.4(a) provides that it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to violate or attempt to violate the Rules of Professional Conduct, knowingly assist or induce another to do so or do so through the acts of another. Effective July 1, 2003, Rule 1.8(j) provides that [a] lawyer shall not have sexual relations with a client unless a consensual sexual relationship existed between them when the client-lawyer relationship commenced. By engaging in the course of conduct described herein with Jones, the Respondent attempted to initiate sexual relations with his client, in violation of Rule 8.4(a). (Count 38)