Legal Ethics
Judge Moonlighted as Attorney, Ruled on Own Cases
Posted Jan 7, 2008, 05:14 pm CST
By Martha Neil
During a 16-year stint as a probate judge in Portland, Conn., Richard Guliani heard three cases in which he was also acting as an attorney. This was, however, a conflict of interest for which he has reportedly been suspended from law practice for six months, starting Dec. 10.
In one case, Guliani approved a $15,000 attorney fee to be paid to himself, finding that it was "presumptively reasonable," writes the Connecticut Law Tribune in an article reprinted by New York Lawyer (reg. req.).
"The local grievance panel also determined that Guliani used the probate court office for his own private practice," the article recounts. "Letterhead for Guliani's law firm that he used in correspondence ... includes a telephone and fax number that connects to the probate court offices in Portland."