Glenn Stephens may have actually wanted to be disbarred.
At least, that’s what he claimed when he wrote the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel, “Rather than wasting time, money, and paper on your sophistries, please disbar me…. a disbarment letter from ODC will be framed and go up right alongside those diplomas. Please do me the honor of disbarring me. I will be so very very proud.” But, since most people don’t actively root for their livelihood to be taken away, it always felt a little bit like a reverse psychology ploy. As if his entreaties — which were couched in accusations that the ODC was both dishonest and racist — were designed to guilt the authorities into stopping short of the nuclear option.
If that was the intent, it did not work.
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After a hearing committee recommended a three-year suspension based upon their finding of a pattern of unethical advocacy and abuse of the judicial system, the ODC went forward seeking disbarment. An order to show cause was met only with…
Instead, he mailed the Office of Disciplinary Counsel and enclosed pictures of Flavor Flav from the group Public Enemy. The words “ODC is a joke” were written at the top. He also made new statements that ODC lawyers were unethical and racist.
Well, that’s the very definition of a surreal life. I award the ABA Journal a million points for writing “from the group Public Enemy” to identify a man who has been famous for just about everything EXCEPT his music for almost 20 years.
Senior Judge Vanessa Ruiz dissented from the ruling, noting that the matter had skipped some procedural hurdles by being characterized as a disbarment by consent, even though such a disbarment requires the attorney to submit an affidavit as opposed to, you know, pictures of Flav. The majority countered that there’s nothing in the record to suggest that Stephens was unaware of what was happening.
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Still, Stephens came within one vote of keeping his license, at least temporarily. It was a bold strategy and it almost paid off.
Or maybe he really did want to be disbarred all along.
Check out the full order here.
Lawyer who said disbarment would be an ‘honor’ gets his wish [ABA Journal]
Earlier: Lawyer Begs To Be Disbarred In Obnoxious Letter To Bar Discipline Authorities, Gets What He Wants
Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.