Court Opinion

ID: 9761031
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 01:29:38.14374+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:19.758064
License: Public Domain

PAPADAKOS, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent from the majority’s opinion because the proposed sanction, in my estimation, would have the effect of giving inexperienced attorneys a hunting license for unsuspecting clients.
My reading of the majority’s decision is that our rules of neglect and competency virtually are being interpreted out of existence. Here we have the irony of an admittedly inexperienced attorney who nevertheless is sophisticated enough to know how to use his license to make a great deal of money. Inevitably, his folly leads him down the path of perdition as he neglects clients and then lies to them to cover up his tracks, making money all the while, of course. His original sin, as should be obvious, is incompetency in two respects: 1) he was incompetent to handle a large number of clients; and 2) more significantly, he was either outright incompetent or deliberately disregarded the rule of competency in deciding that he was competent to practice in that fashion.
A majority of my colleagues now are prepared to sanction him with a light suspension on the grounds that his inexperience is a mitigating factor.
If I understand them correctly, the majority members in this decision, therefore, propose the following guidelines: 1) an experienced attorney would not be susceptible to mitigation *62for identical violations, but an inexperienced lawyer will be treated leniently; and 2) it must follow, therefore, that the rules of professional conduct do not contain a rule of competency.
I depart vigorously from this decision. Inexperience may be an explanation but, surely, it is not a justification. An attorney who contracts with a client must have at least the minimal competency, both intellectually and physically, to handle the case. Otherwise, the lawyer must refuse the representation, and that includes his inability to deal with the client because he is overburdened. A lawyer who does not understand these rules is incompetent to practice law.
We are beginning to see repeated conduct based on identical fact patterns. The public has an absolute right to be protected from such incompetent lawyers, and here as well as in future similar cases, I shall continue to insist on disbarment as the only proper remedy.
LARSEN, J., joins this dissenting opinion.