Lawyer Self-discipline
In case of ‘textbook contempt,’ suspended lawyer who refused to adjust to ethics orders is fined $100 a day
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A Boston-area lawyer has been fined $100 a day and subjected to a lengthier suspension after she was held in contempt for falsely holding herself out as eligible to apply regulation on her web site and voice mail.
“Maybe most important of all” is that the lawyer, Maude Laroche-St. Fleur, said in open court docket that she wouldn’t take the steps wanted to adjust to court docket orders in her ethics case, in keeping with an April 11 opinion imposing sanctions.
“This blatant defiance of the clear and unequivocal instructions of the court docket constitutes textbook contempt,” wrote Justice David A. Lowy of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Courtroom.
Laroche-St. Fleur must proceed paying the $100 each day effective till she is not in contempt. Lowy additionally tacked further time onto Laroche-St. Fleur’s preliminary 18-month suspension, making her ineligible to use for reinstatement for 5 years after no matter date she considerably complies with orders within the ethics case. And Lowy stated he would appoint a commissioner to “take applicable motion.”
Regulation.com has coverage of the opinion whereas the Legal Profession Blog has opinion highlights.
Laroche-St. Fleur was initially suspended in March 2022 for ignoring court docket orders and submitting false monetary statements in her personal divorce case, in keeping with prior protection of the October 2022 opinion upholding the 2022 suspension by Law.com.
Within the new opinion, Lowy stated there is no such thing as a proof that Laroche-St. Fleur was actively working towards regulation throughout the 18-month suspension.
However there seems to be no reference to Laroche-St. Fleur’s suspension on her regulation workplace web site, her regulation agency’s voicemail message, her LinkedIn pages and her regulation workplace “contact us” type, Lowy stated.
As well as, Laroche-St. Fleur didn’t adjust to an order for her to produce paperwork displaying the extent to which she complied with the suspension order.
“By persevering with to carry herself out as a working towards legal professional or as entitled to apply regulation whereas she has been suspended,” Lowy stated, Laroche-St. Fleur “has engaged within the unauthorized apply of regulation.”
Laroche-St. Fleur has the proper to enchantment to the complete Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Courtroom, in keeping with this discipline summary.
Laroche-St. Fleur instructed the ABA Journal she has filed a cert petition with the U.S. supreme Courtroom however couldn’t remark additional. “I’m politely saying that I can not say something,” she stated.
