ADMONITION NO. 25-18 CLASSIFICATION: Engaging in Unauthorized Practice of Law [Mass. R. Prof. C. 5.5(a)] SUMMARY: The respondent was duly admitted to the bar of the Commonwealth on July 27, 2020, and not admitted in any other jurisdiction. On November 20, 2020, the respondent completed his initial registration with the Board of Bar Overseers. In doing so, he provided the Board with his personal email address and his home and work mailing addresses. At the time, the respondent was working as a corporate associate attorney in a law firm in Boston.
In January 2021, the respondent moved to a new home address, began employment at a different law firm, and began using different personal and work email addresses. He failed, however, to update his contact information with the Board as required by S.J.C. Rule 4:02, §1.
In June 2021, the respondent failed to timely register for his annual registration. The Board sent several notices by email and mail to the respondent’s registered addresses including notice of the annual registration requirement, and notice that he would be administratively suspended for failing to comply with the annual registration requirement. The respondent did not receive the notices sent by the Board because he had changed his mailing and email addresses and failed to update his contact information with the Board. On November 8, 2021, the respondent was administratively suspended for failure to complete the annual registration requirement.
On December 2, 2021, the respondent emailed the Registration Department to complete his overdue annual registration. On December 3, 2021, the Registration Department informed the respondent that he was administratively suspended and provided him with reinstatement application materials. Although the respondent subsequently communicated with the Board on several occasions about the possibility of applying for reinstatement, he was not reinstated until late 2022 (see below).
In February 2022, the respondent accepted a position in the corporate department of another law firm. At the time, the respondent was aware that he was administratively suspended from the practice of law. He nonetheless practiced law at the firm for the next ten months. Throughout this period, and for more than a year prior to it, the respondent was suffering from but inadequately addressing major depressive and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, as well as significant upheaval and stress in his personal life.
On November 2, 2022, the respondent submitted reinstatement materials and payment to the Board and was reinstated by the Court on November 17, 2022.
The respondent’s failure to provide the Board with his updated contact information violated S.J.C. Rule 4:02, § (1). The respondent’s failure to timely pay his annual fees violated S.J.C. Rule 4:03 § (1). The respondent’s failure to timely file affidavits of compliance violated S.J.C. Rule 4:01, § 17(5) and (6). The respondent’s practice of law while administratively suspended violated Mass. R. Prof. C. 5.5(a).
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Certain factors contributed to the respondent’s misconduct. In mitigation, the respondent was suffering from significant mental health and personal problems which contributed to his inattentiveness to the registration requirements and his failure to seek reinstatement from the order of administrative suspension that followed. Additionally, the respondent was an inexperienced attorney at the time of his misconduct, which, combined with his mental health and personal problems, contributed to his inattentiveness towards the order of administrative suspension.
The respondent was admitted in 2020 and has no disciplinary history. The respondent agreed to accept an admonition for this misconduct.