The Attorney Discipline, Ethics Matters, Professional Defense group handles allegations of minor misconduct through more serious trust account misappropriation that could lead to disbarment.

Lawyers who must respond to allegations of ethical violations often handle the matters themselves or retain counsel with little or no experience in this area of law.

The common practice often leads to less than optimal results which could have been avoided had experienced counsel been retained. As such, what already is an anxious moment in the life of a professional is needlessly exacerbated.

An allegation of unethical behavior or professional misconduct is the most serious of issues.Unfortunately, such allegations are becoming almost unavoidable. Clients often believe that any question relating to a lawyer’s handling of a matter is ipso facto, an ethical issue. Because the results of such allegations can have a significant result on a lawyer’s practice it is imperative that they always be treated seriously and handled by experienced counsel.

Legal professionals can depend on Cooper Levenson attorneys to guide them regarding the Rules of Professional Conduct both prophylactically and in the context of allegations of ethical violations.

Fredric L. Shenkman (Ric), Chairman of Cooper Levenson’s Ethics Practice Group, is a former member, Chair and Secretary of New Jersey District I Ethics Committee. He is experienced in providing advice relating to ethical matters and in defending lawyers at all levels of the disciplinary process.

Read Ric’s primer for an overview of the process.