Why would a lawyer get disbarred?

Question

Can somebody give me some examples of things that might get a lawyer disbarred? ( besides lying to their clients of course, because it seems that that's what they got their bachelors degree for!!)

Can you be more specific please?

Answer 1

They're not supposed to lie TO their clients; they're supposed to lie FOR them!

But seriously, lawyers will tend to get disbarred for behaving in unethical ways based on the list of ethics they are supposed to memorize in law school. This includes things like violating client/lawyer priviledge, lying in court (or, at least, getting caught at it!), committing felonies, and other things of those sorts.

Answer 2

I would alter nat's response some ...

You can be disbarred for any mishandling of client funds, including using them for a short time EVEN IF you return the funds

Substance abuse per se is normally not a reason for disbarment; the problem is that lawyers under the influence too much of the time have a tendency to "neglect client matters entrusted to them" and that's nails them ... if you're just strung out there are lawyer assistance programs ...

some people might find it surprising but the bar is really a stickler about honesty in a lawyer's dealings ... and they might be even more surprised that most lawyers actually are among the most honest people I have ever met ...

that said, they are also too often sleazy snakes too ....

NOTE: The ABA has nothing to do with disbarring lawyers.

Answer 3

It is very disappointing to hear that lawyers can be disbarred from such profession, where they get disbarred once they do not apply religiously the good commandments of being a good lawyer. Most of these commandments are within Lawyer's Professional Ethics, among other law knowledge. Justice should be equipped with truth, fairness, and never a manipulated untruthful situation, for the legal relief of the different parties concerned.

Answer 4

From a history of reading California's monthly list of who was disciplined and why the major reasons seem to be:

1. Failure to properly account for money held in trust.
2. Failure to refund unearned fees.
3. Abandonment of a client's case or matter.
4. Conviction of a felony unrelated to the practice of law.
5. Failure to comply with terms of probation imposed in a prior discipline matter.


From the facts offered in mitigation it appears that the most common underlying causes are:
1. Drug or alcohol addiction.
2. Untreated clinical depression or other mental illness.
3. Financial stress.
.
Actually, from my 20+ years of practice I can say there were very few instances where I knew an attorney had lied to his/her client. There were a lot of instances in which what the client claimed the attorney had said was just not true or was only half of what the attorney had said. Lying to a client is counter-productive, first the client will get overblown expectations, second, when those expectations are not met, the client will be unhappy. Unhappy clients don't pay their bills, and don't refer their friends.

Even more so, attorneys just don't lie to judges. Or let me rephrase, smart attorneys don't lie to judges. If you lie to a judge, she/he will remember and will not believe you the next time you come into that courtroom with a different client.

Answer 5

An attorney in this area was disbarred for using a deceased client's credit card to make personal purchases. He was lucky he didn't get sent to prison!

Answer 6

first of all, to be a member of the ABA you must get a doctorate (a JD). To get disbarred you must commit a serious ethical offense or a crime (felony OR misdemeanor!). If you want more information, I suggest you go to the American Bar Association web page:

http://www.aba.org

Answer 7

1) The main reason for attorney discipline by the state bar is theft of client trust account funds.

2) Substance abuse, including alcoholism.

3) Felony crimes and crimes of moral turpidtude.

Answer 8

unethical practices and imcompetence