The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has reversed a lower court ruling granting summary judgment to a law firm, saying the firm had failed to use all measures to combat an erroneous ruling by a French court. The firm, Dechart, had represented a seafood company, whose fishing boat was severely damaged,…
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) recently denied a prospective attorney’s application for admission to the bar on the grounds that he was not morally fit to practice law in the Commonwealth. In the case, In re: Chankrakant Shridhar Panse, an individual passed the state bar exam and submitted an…
The Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) recently approved a three month suspension of a Massachusetts attorney for violating several Rules of Professional Conduct. In the Matter of Timothy M. Mauser, a husband and wife hired an attorney to review their bankruptcy proceedings, after they discovered certain tax liens had not been…
The Supreme Judicial Court has recently disbarred a Boston, Massachusetts. In the matter of Kirk Y. Griffin, an attorney admitted to using client funds for personal expenses over a period of eight years. After learning of the attorney’s conduct, the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers (“BBO”) initiated an investigation and…
The Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers (“BBO”) has issued an admonition against an attorney for failing to competently handle a legal matter, failing to seek his client’s lawful objectives, and failing to adequately communicate with his client. In Admonition No. 14-03, the attorney was hired to bring a wrongful termination…
The Massachusetts Court of Appeals, located in Boston, has affirmed a judgment dismissing a legal malpractice claim against a Massachusetts attorney. In Resnick v Baker, a client hired an attorney to represent him in a property dispute. The attorney obtained a favorable result for the client, but failed to timely file…
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”), located in Boston, has entered an order disbarring an attorney after finding that he kept client funds for his personal use. In the Matter of Daniel P. Byrnes, a lawyer was named the executor of his brother in law’s estate and facilitated the sale…
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) has entered an order suspending an attorney after finding that he helped a non-lawyer set up a law practice. In the Matter of Barry E. O’Neill, a lawyer, who was a business person and had never actively practiced law, helped a woman establish a…
The Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”), located in Boston, Massachusetts, has entered an order suspending an attorney after finding that he had falsely certified that he was covered by professional liability insurance. In the Matter of Eric J. Crane, an attorney accepted appointments from the Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services…
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) has entered an order suspending a Boston Attorney after finding that he charged a client an illegal fee. In the Matter of Jose Luis Serpa, the Committee for Public Counsel Services (“CPCS”) appointed an attorney to represent a client in a criminal matter free…