Court Opinion

ID: 9381601
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-23 15:05:45.32011+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:17:33.411478
License: Public Domain

TO BE PUBLISHED

              Supreme Court of Kentucky
                              2022-SC-0486-KB

ROBERT LAWRENCE POOLE                                                  MOVANT

V.                           IN SUPREME COURT

KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION                                         RESPONDENT

                            OPINION AND ORDER

      This case is before the Court on Movant, Robert Lawrence Poole’s motion

to resign under terms of permanent disbarment. His KBA Member Number is

86183 and bar roster address is 73 Cavalier Boulevard, Suite 104, Florence, KY

41042. SCR 3.480(3) allows for “Any member who has been engaged in

unethical or unprofessional conduct . . . to withdraw his membership under

terms of permanent disbarment . . . .” The Kentucky Bar Association has filed a

response expressing no objection to Poole’s motion. Having reviewed the record

and considered Poole’s admission of unethical conduct, we grant his motion for

permanent disbarment.

      On May 25, 2022, Poole pled guilty to two counts of Promoting of Human

Trafficking – Forced Services, a Class D felony, in Boone Circuit Court. On

June 7, 2022, Poole pled guilty to five counts of the same crime in Kenton

Circuit Court. On September 26, 2022, the Inquiry Commission issued a single
charge against Poole for violation of SCR 1.130(8.4)(b), based on his

aforementioned guilty pleas.

      SCR 1.130(8.4)(b) provides “it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to:

(b) commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty,

trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects.” Poole admits his

conduct violated this rule.

      Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED:

      1. Robert Lawrence Poole is permanently disbarred from the practice of

law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky;

      2. Pursuant to SCR 3.450, Robert Lawrence Poole is directed to pay all

costs associated with these disciplinary proceedings in the amount of $39.52,

for which execution may issue from this Court upon finality of this Opinion

and Order; and

      3. Pursuant to SCR 3.390, Robert Lawrence Poole shall, within twenty

(20) days from the entry of this Opinion and Order, notify all clients, in writing,

of his inability to represent them; notify, in writing, all courts in which he has

matters pending of his disbarment from the practice of law; and furnish copies

of all letters of notice to the Office of Bar Counsel. Furthermore, to the extent

possible, Poole shall immediately cancel and cease any advertising activities in

which he is engaged.

      All sitting. All concur.

      ENTERED: March 23, 2023

                                             ______________________________________
                                             CHIEF JUSTICE