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Paralegals & Legal Secretaries

: Practical Paralegalism

California Attorney Suspended for Employing Disbarred Lawyer as a Paralegal

By Lynne DeVenny

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I recently blogged about a disbarred Ohio attorney that was hired as a paralegal and is now accused of stealing funds from his employer. In another illustrative case, the July 2009 California Bar Journal lists the suspension of San Diego attorney Patrick Passenheim for failing to notify the State Bar that he hired a disbarred attorney to work as a paralegal.

Passenheim also admitted to misappropriation of client funds in an employment case and for ?engaging in acts of moral turpitude, dishonesty, or corruption.? Effective January 2009, he was suspended by the State Bar for 30 months and placed on four years of probation. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the client.

In aggravation, Passenheim had a record of prior discipline. In 1992 he was found culpable of misconduct and suspended for two years. In mitigation, during the period of misconduct Passenheim suffered extreme financial stress due to a cerebral hemorrhage he had in 2002, after which he could not work for one year. (California Lawyer)
Both of these cases seem to have a common denominator of lawyers hiring friends who just happen to be disbarred attorneys. Are your law license and fiduciary duties to your clients worth helping out any friend that has already been tried and found guilty of subverting his or her own livelihood and ethical responsibilities?

Full post as published by Practical Paralegalism on July 06, 2009 (boomark / email).

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