Practicing With Professionalism - South Carolina Bar Association

further pleadings in the case. The Colorado Supreme Court ("
overturned the sanction of disbarment, finding that the attorney did
not demonstrate the requisite intent to warrant disbarment.
Accordingly, the court imposed a suspension ofone year and a day.)
b. People v. Casey, 948 P.2d 1014 (Colo. 1997). (Attorney knowingly
failed to inform the city attorney and the court that his client was
using another person's identity while defending charges of
trespassing and underage drinking.) (suspension, 45 days);
c. People v. Chappell, 927 P.2d 829 (Colo. 1996). (Attorney advised
dissolution of marriage client to flee with one child, where a courtappointed
custody evaluator had advised custody would be
recommended to the husband. Attorney assisted client to liquidate
assets and empty bank accounts, then withheld information from the
court, claiming attorney-client privilege. The client pled guilty to a
felony violation ofa child custody order in exchange for a three-year
deferred judgment.) (disbarment);
d. Peopleiv. Bullock, 882 P.2d 1390 (Colo. 1994). (Attorney, convicted
of felony aiding an escape and one count of misdemeanor aiding an
escape, had arranged to supply a former client with money upon his
escape from detention.) (disbarment); and
e. Pratt, "Truthfulness to the Court: Even When it Hurts," 22 Colo.
Law. 5, p. 957.
(
5. Only under particular circumstances, including the client's consent and the
attorney's ability to exercise independent professional judgment while
protecting client confidences, can an attorney accept compensation for
services from someone other than the client. Colo. RPC 1.8(f). (Amid
other misconduct, including practicing while under suspensionfor failure
to comply with CLE requirements, attorney failed to disclose potential
conflicts arising from his representation ofa client involved in a domestic
violence matter with another client who was paying the attorney's fees for
representing the first client.) (suspension, one year-one day);
6. An attorney is prohibited from acquiring"... a proprietary interest in the
cause ofaction or subject matter oflitigation the attorney is conducting for
a client.. .." Colo.RPC 1.8(j). See People v. Mason, 938 P.2d 133 Colo.
1997). (As payment for previously owed1egal fees; "attorney accepted
client's offer to transfer to attorney a cabin and a forest service special use
permit. The client had previously secured a loan with the same property
which then became the subject oflitigation with the lender upon the
client's default on the loan. Attorney represented the client in litigation
with the lender and did not reveal his own interest in the cabin and the
(
Professionali~m CLE (2004)