Court Opinion

ID: 4024718
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-08-15 21:29:28.912239+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:30:15.532402
License: Public Domain

Electronically Filed
                                                      Supreme Court
                                                      SCAD-16-0000112
                                                      08-APR-2016
                                                      09:28 AM
                          SCAD-16-0000112

           IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAI'I

                  OFFICE OF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL,

                            Petitioner,

                                vs.

                       THOMAS ALFRED LANDRY,

                            Respondent.

                        ORIGINAL PROCEEDING

                           (ODC 7939.P1)

                   ORDER OF RECIPROCAL SUSPENSION

(By: Recktenwald, C.J., Nakayama, McKenna, Pollack, and Wilson, JJ.)

           Upon consideration of the Office of Disciplinary

Counsel’s February 26, 2016 petition for issuance of a reciprocal

discipline notice to Respondent Thomas Alfred Landry, pursuant to

Rule 2.15(b) of the Rules of the Supreme Court of the State of

Hawai'i (RSCH), the memorandum, declaration, and exhibits

appended thereto, the March 15, 2016 notice of reciprocal

discipline issued by this court, and Respondent Landry’s March

29, 2016 submission, we note that, on October 27, 2015, the

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County issued an

order suspending Landry from the practice of law in that

jurisdiction for nine months, for charging and collecting an

excessive fee, failing to explain the contingent fee agreement to

the clients with sufficient clarity to enable them to make an

informed decision, and for knowingly giving false answers to the

clients’ questions regarding the fee agreement, in violation of

Rules 1.5(a), 1.4(b), and 8.4(c) of the Massachusetts Rules of

Professional Conduct.   Respondent Landry’s conduct, if committed

in this jurisdiction, would constitute violations of Rules

1.4(b), 1.5(a), and 8.4(c) of the Hawai'i Rules of Professional

Conduct.   A review of the record establishes that none of the

grounds set forth in RSCH Rule 2.15(c) for avoidance of

reciprocal discipline in this jurisdiction exist in the present

matter, and Respondent Landry’s conduct, if committed in this

jurisdiction, would justify a nine-month suspension.    Therefore,

           IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Respondent Thomas Alfred

Landry is suspended for nine months from the practice of law in

this jurisdiction, pursuant to RSCH Rules 2.3(a)(2) and 2.15(c),

effective thirty days after the entry of this order.

           IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Respondent Landry shall, in

accordance with RSCH Rule 2.16(d), file with this court, within

10 days after the effective date of his suspension, an affidavit

showing compliance with RSCH Rule 2.16(d). 

           IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Respondent Landry shall bear

any costs associated with these reciprocal proceedings, pursuant

to RSCH Rule 2.3(c), upon approval of a timely-submitted verified

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bill of costs by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.

          IT IS FINALLY ORDERED that Respondent Landry’s

reinstatement to practice in this jurisdiction is contingent upon

submission of proof to this court of his successful reinstatement

to practice in Massachusetts.

          DATED: Honolulu, Hawai'i, April 8, 2016.

                                      /s/ Mark E. Recktenwald

                                      /s/ Paula A. Nakayama

                                      /s/ Sabrina S. McKenna

                                      /s/ Richard W. Pollack

                                      /s/ Michael D. Wilson

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