Court Opinion

ID: 9914162
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-12-29 18:04:43.419651+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:10:27.197658
License: Public Domain

Show cause hearing held November 6, 2023.

                                                                                                     IN THE SUPREME COURT

                                                                                                           OF MARYLAND

                                                                                                                 Misc. No. 1

                                                                                                        September Term, 2023

                                                                                                IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
                                                                                                    OF IAN PATRICK WRIGHT FOR
                                                                                               ADMISSION TO THE BAR OF MARYLAND

                                                                                                   Fader, C.J.
                                                                                                   Watts
                                                                                                   Hotten
                                                                                                   Booth
                                                                                                   Biran
                                                                                                   Gould
                                                                                                   Eaves,

                                                                                                                          JJ.

                                                                                                                Order.
                                                                                                          Hotten, J. dissents.

Pursuant to the Maryland Uniform Electronic Legal Materials
                                                                                                    Filed: December 29, 2023
Act (§§ 10-1601 et seq. of the State Government Article) this
document is authentic.

                                   Kisha           Digitally signed by Kisha Taylor-Wallace
                                                   DN: cn=Kisha Taylor-Wallace c=US
                                                   l=Annapolis o=Court of Appeals, Maryland
                                   Taylor-Wallac   State e=kisha.taylor-wallace@mdcourts.gov
                                                   Reason: I am the author of this document
                                                   Location:
                                   e               Date: 2023-12-29 09:36-05:00

Gregory Hilton, Clerk
                                           *
                                                  IN THE
                                           *
           IN THE MATTER OF THE                   SUPREME COURT
             APPLICATION OF IAN            *
            PATRICK WRIGHT FOR                    OF MARYLAND
          ADMISSION TO THE BAR OF          *
                 MARYLAND                         Misc. No. 1
                                           *
                                                  September Term, 2023
                                           *

                                         ORDER

          The Court having considered the favorable recommendations of the Character

Committee for the Third Appellate Judicial Circuit and the State Board of Law Examiners

concerning the application of Ian Patrick Wright for admission to the Bar of Maryland, it

is this 29th day of December 2023, by the Supreme Court of Maryland, a majority of the

Court concurring,

          ORDERED that the favorable recommendations of the Character Committee for the

Third Appellate Judicial Circuit and State Board of Law Examiners are accepted, and it is

further

          ORDERED that the applicant shall be admitted to the Bar upon taking the oath

prescribed by the statute.

                                                     /s/ Matthew J. Fader
                                                         Chief Justice
Show cause hearing held November 6, 2023

                                                IN THE SUPREME COURT

                                                      OF MARYLAND

                                                             Misc. 1

                                                 September Term, 2023
                                       ______________________________________

                                        IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
                                            OF IAN PATRICK WRIGHT FOR
                                       ADMISSION TO THE BAR OF MARYLAND

                                       ______________________________________

                                              Fader, C.J.,
                                              Watts,
                                              Hotten,
                                              Booth,
                                              Biran,
                                              Gould,
                                              Eaves,

                                                           JJ.
                                           __________________________________

                                              Dissent to the Order by Hotten, J.

                                           __________________________________

                                              Filed: December 29, 2023
       Respectfully, I dissent. I am not persuaded that Mr. Wright has met his burden for

admission to the Bar of Maryland. As the record reflects, Mr. Wright’s conduct suggests

a troubling pattern of omissions and failures to appear at court proceedings. The judgment

exercised under the circumstances is inconsistent with the requisite character and fitness to

practice law.

       This Court holds the solemn responsibility of determining the fitness of those who

seek the privilege to practice law in our State. The highest requirements are demanded of

those who would practice since “[t]he virtues of character, honesty, and integrity are the

cornerstone of our legal profession.” Att’y Grievance Comm’n v. Vasiliades, 475 Md. 520,

564, 257 A.3d 1061, 1086 (2021); see also Att’y Grievance Comm’n v. Myers, 333 Md.

440, 449, 635 A.2d 1315, 1319 (1994) (“Candor and truthfulness are two of the most

important moral character traits of a lawyer.”) (citations omitted). Lawyers must also

comply with the law and appear in court when required. Att’y Grievance Comm’n v.

Ficker, 477 Md. 537, 566, 271 A.3d 227, 244 (2022) (“Competen[ce] … requires the

attorney’s presence at any court proceeding for which he or she was retained, absent an

acceptable explanation for that attorney’s absence.”).

       Mr. Wright is a recovering alcoholic. According to the State Bar of Law Examiner’s

report, Mr. Wright had been sober for fourteen years. However, Mr. Wright had several

brushes with the law, including two DUIs associated with his alcoholism, trespassing and

disorderly conduct, and a citation for an expired motor vehicle registration. Further, Mr.

Wright failed to appear at two separate court proceedings after he began his journey to the

legal profession. The first non-appearance, for the trespassing and disorderly conduct,
occurred in 2014 while Mr. Wright was attending law school. The second, for the expired

vehicle registration, was in 2017 and after Mr. Wright had graduated from law school,

where his driver’s license was suspended for failing to appear. During those times, Mr.

Wright knew or should have known the importance of adhering to court orders and

summons.

       It is also troubling that Mr. Wright neglected to disclose his criminal record to a

sitting judge during the interview and hiring process as a law clerk. See State Board of

Law Examiners Hearing Transcript 36–39 (“I thought if somebody’s hiring me, they would

do some research.” … “If asked, I would have been forthcoming.”). While sensitive

medical information and battles with substance abuse are delicate subjects to navigate, Mr.

Wright did not appreciate the importance of disclosing even his criminal history to a judge

who hired and supervised him for two years. Mr. Wright’s lack of candor is concerning.1

       Mr. Wright’s conduct is alarming and suggests that he lacks the necessary character

and fitness to practice law in Maryland. Accordingly, I dissent.

       1
        When directly confronted, Mr. Wright appears forthcoming with investigators, the
Character and Fitness Committee, and the State Board of Law Examiners (“SBLE”). One
noted exception is the failure to appear for the expired vehicle registration, where the
Character and Fitness investigator discovered this transgression, despite its omission on
Mr. Wright’s Bar application. Mr. Wright claimed to be unaware of the circumstance, but
upon SBLE’s notification, he promptly rectified the matter. Lack of awareness of the
matter could speak to Mr. Wright’s future competence and diligence as an attorney. See
Att’y Grievance Comm’n v. Walker-Turner, 428 Md. 214, 227–31, 51 A.3d 553, 560–63
(2012) (“[M]aintaining Maryland’s position that a single failure to appear, even if
inadvertent or not associated with a pattern of irresponsibility, is actionable neglect.”).
                                            2