Attorney Discipline Defense
When Your License Is on the Line
If you have received a complaint from the Office of Disciplinary Counsel or are facing proceedings before the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, you need counsel who knows the process, the prosecutors and the precedent. Disciplinary defense is distinct from legal malpractice or civil defense and your response to the initial inquiry will affect everything that follows.
Ellen Brotman focuses her practice on defending lawyers in disciplinary cases and assisting lawyers on a wide range of ethical issues in reinstatement proceedings from administrative or disciplinary suspensions or disbarment. She also advises law firms and lawyers in transactional, litigation and law firm matters.
Matters We Handle
When the Office of Disciplinary Counsel receives a complaint about an attorney from a client, opposing counsel, a judge, or another source, you may receive a Request for a Statement of Respondent’s Position which requires you to respond to the allegations. Lawyers have an obligation under the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Rules of Enforcement to provide a full and complete verified answer. The correctly drafted response can resolve the issue entirely. BrotmanLaw has the experience and expertise you need to draft the response that will get the best result.
BrotmanLaw handles Office of Disciplinary Counsel investigations including:
- Investigations by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel into potential violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct
- Responding to Complaints and Petitions for Discipline
- Conducting Hearings before Hearing Committees and arguing before the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
- Negotiating Discipline on Consent
- Reinstatement of suspended and disbarred lawyers from disciplinary or administrative suspension
- Formal disciplinary hearings before the Disciplinary Board
- Consent discipline negotiations
- IOLTA audits and Client Security Fund matters
- CLE and registration issues
- Reciprocal discipline proceedings
- Trust account violations and fee disputes
- Competence and neglect complaints
- Conflicts of interest matters
- Unauthorized practice of law issues
- Matters involving substance abuse or mental health problems