Pennsylvania lawyer gets 5-year suspension for 'pervasive neglect and incompetence'
A Pennsylvania lawyer has been suspended from practice for five years for what a disciplinary board calls a history of “pervasive neglect and incompetence,” as well as a “repeated habit of ignoring the rules” governing the courts and the disciplinary system.
Christopher John Basner, whose registered address is in Haddonfield, N.J., had been charged with violating 18 of the state’s Rules of Professional Conduct and Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement stemming from his handling of nine separate cases between 2010 and 2014.
In its 45-page report and recommendations (PDF), which the state supreme court adopted in an order last week, the disciplinary board called Basner “an extreme example of client neglect and incompetence by an attorney” that began almost from the time he began his practice in 2008 and never stopped.
It also said Basner produced shoddy work product, displayed a lack of preparation and professionalism, was difficult to reach and failed to offer adequate explanation for his misconduct.
The fact that Basner closed his Pennsylvania office last year and does not currently practice in the state is a case of “too little, too late” for the many clients at the heart of the disciplinary proceedings against him, the board said.
“The primary purpose of the disciplinary system in Pennsylvania is to protect the public from unfit attorneys and to preserve public confidence in the legal system,” the board wrote. “The evidence produced by [he Office of Disciplinary Counsel] convincingly proved that [Basner] is a danger to the public and the profession itself.”
Basner could not be reached for comment.
Hat tip to Legal Profession Blog.
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