On February 24, 2010, a Virginia State Bar Sixth District Subcommittee publicly reprimanded Bruce Patrick Ganey for violating professional rules that govern competence, communication, conflict of interest, prohibited transactions, safekeeping property, declining or terminating representation, and fairness to opposing parties or counsel. The misconduct occurred in his representation in an equitable distribution and spousal support matter, and included failure to pay his client's spousal support on time and to maintain adequate funds in his trust account for the client's support payments. This was an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

On January 13, 2010, a three-judge panel in the Norfolk Circuit Court issued a public reprimand with terms to Joseph A. Pennington for violating the disciplinary rule that governs diligence. Mr. Penning twice failed to timely file a motion for reduction of a client's spousal support and failed to attend court hearings in the matter.

view Pennington order (pdf posted 03/16/10)*

On February 22, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board issued a public reprimand to Paul Lee Warren for violating disciplinary rules that govern candor toward the tribunal, fairness to opposing party and counsel, and misconduct that reflects adversely on a lawyer's fitness to practice. The violations occurred in his interactions with a witness in a medical malpractice case - conduct that resulted in a criminal contempt finding against Mr. Warren by the judge in the case. This was an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

view Warren order (pdf posted 03/08/10)*

On February 19, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board revoked Peter Campbell Sackett's license to practice law for violating disciplinary rules that govern diligence, communication, safekeeping property, declining or terminating representation, bar admission and disciplinary matters, and misconduct that involves dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation that reflects adversely on a lawyer’s fitness to practice. The violations occurred in Mr. Sackett's representation of out-of-state clients in a land sale.

view Sackett order (pdf posted 03/16/10)*

On February 19, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Sixth District Subcommittee publicly reprimanded Edgar Rawlings Jones for violating disciplinary rules that govern competence and promptness, representing a client zealously, diligence, and misconduct that involves dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. The violations occurred in a consultation on an employment matter. This was an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

view Jones order (pdf posted 03/08/10)*

On February 19, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board suspended Jay Lawrence Pickus's license to practice law for four years for violating professional rules that govern diligence, communication, fees, and safekeeping property. The misconduct occurred in Mr. Pickus's representation in a federal lawsuit and included failure to maintain his client's accounts as required by the Rules of Professional Conduct.

On December 16, 2009, a three-judge panel in Alexandria Circuit Court suspended Dale Eugene Duncan's license to practice law for two years, effective December 23, 2009. The court found that Mr. Duncan engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation that reflects adversely on his fitness to practice law.

On February 26, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board summarily suspended Eugene Brian Harris's license to practice law, based on his February 9, 2010, conviction of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer in the Chesapeake Circuit Court. The board ordered him to appear on March 26, 2010, to show cause why his license should not be further suspended or revoked.

Mr. Harris's license was administratively suspended on October 9, 2009. He has been ineligible to practice law since that date.

On February 10, 2010, a three-judge court of the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond issued a public reprimand with terms to Thomas Michael Blanks Jr. for violating disciplinary rules that govern safekeeping property, responsibilities regarding nonlawyer assistants, and misconduct that reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness to practice. Mr. Blanks acknowledged that he failed to preserve escrow funds of clients and failed to maintain escrow accounts as required by the Rules of Professional Conduct. This was an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

On December 11, 2009, the Virginia State Bar Fourth District Committee-Section I issued a public reprimand to Claudia Joy Zucker for violating disciplinary rules that govern candor toward the tribunal and misconduct that reflects adversely on a lawyer's fitness to practice. While testifying as an expert witness before the Board of Immigration Appeals, Ms. Zucker stated under oath that a Virginia State Bar disciplinary complaint against her had been dismissed when, in fact, it had resulted in a private reprimand, and she also misrepresented that she had not been represented by counsel in the disciplinary proceeding, when she actually was.

view Zucker order (pdf posted 02/22/10)*

On January 13, 2010, a three-judge panel in the Alexandria Circuit Court suspended John Francis Gonzales's license to practice law for six months, effective February 1, 2010, and imposed terms on the suspension. The court found that he violated disciplinary rules by engaging in misrepresentation that reflects adversely on a lawyer's fitness to practice. Mr. Gonzales stipulated that he misrepresented his role in limited liability companies created in connection with loan transactions. This was an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

view Gonzales order (pdf posted 02/22/10)*

On November 2, 2009, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board issued a public reprimand with terms to Marcus Noah Perdue III, for violating professional rules that govern candor toward a tribunal. Mr. Perdue did not disclose to a U.S. bankruptcy court that two matters involving marital debt had been litigated and decided in a Virginia circuit court.

view Perdue order (pdf posted 02/22/10)*

On January 22, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board summarily suspended Robert Winthrop Johnson II's license to practice law in response to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals thirty-day suspension of Mr. Johnson's license to practice in that jurisdiction, effective December 25, 2009. The board ordered him to appear on February 19, 2010, to show cause why the same discipline should not be imposed in Virginia.

*On February 19, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board suspended Robert Winthrop Johnson II's license to practice law for thirty days, the same discipline imposed by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals for ethical violations in that jurisdiction. The Virginia suspension became effective January 22, 2010 - the date that his Virginia license was summarily suspended pending a show cause hearing on the reciprocal discipline.

view Johnson order (pdf posted 03/16/10)*

On February 8, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board suspended Philip Stone Griffin II's license administratively to practice law for failure to comply with a subpoena duces tecum.

*On February 17, 2010, Mr. Griffin complied with the subpoena duces tecum and the suspension was lifted.

On January 22, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board suspended Brian Gay's license to practice law for sixty days for violating disciplinary rules that govern declining or terminating representation, diligence, fees, conflict of interest: general rule, and misconduct, including committing an act that reflects adversely on a lawyer's fitness to practice law. The discipline was in connection with Mr. Gay's billing and representation contract with a client in a divorce case.

*On February 22, 2010, Mr. Gay filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of Virginia.

view Gay order (pdf posted 02/22/10)*

view Gay order (pdf posted 03/16/10)*

On December 11, 2009, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board suspended Stacy F. Garrett III's law license for one year and imposed terms on the suspension. The board found that Mr. Garrett violated disciplinary rules that govern diligence, communication, safekeeping property, declining or terminating representation, bar admission and disciplinary matters, and misconduct that reflects adversely on a lawyer's fitness to practice. The matters involved Mr. Garrett's representations in two clemency petitions, restoration of a driver's license, and pardon of a domestic violence conviction.

view Garrett order (pdf posted 02/10/10)*

On January 25, 2010, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board suspended Gary Lance Smith's license administratively to practice law for failure to comply with a subpoena duces tecum.

On December 18, 2009, a Virginia State Bar Second District Subcommittee issued a public reprimand with terms to LeRon William Gilchrist for violating rules that govern diligence, communication, and declining or terminating representation in two court-appointed criminal cases. This was an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

view Gilchrist order (pdf posted 02/02/10)*

On November 20, 2009, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board suspended Tonja Michelle Roberts's license to practice law for three years for failing to comply with the terms of a previous one-year suspension. She did not comply with the terms of her contract with Lawyers Helping Lawyers.

view Roberts order (pdf posted 02/02/10)*

On December 18, 2009, a Virginia State Bar Second District Subcommittee issued a public reprimand to Johnnye Belinda Duff for violating disciplinary rules that govern diligence and communication. The cases involved several divorce representations. This was an agreed determination of misconduct charges.

view Duff order (PDF file posted 1/21/10)

On December 23, 2009, a Virginia State Bar Third District-Section III Subcommittee issued a public admonition with terms to Anne Holland Harris for violating disciplinary rules that govern conflict of interest: prohibited transactions and misconduct that reflects adversely on a lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness to practice law. This was an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

view Harris order (PDF file posted 1/21/10)

On January 7, 2010, a Virginia State Bar Seventh District Subcommittee issued a public reprimand with terms to Robert P. Dwoskin for violating disciplinary rules that govern competence, diligence, and bar admission and disciplinary matters. The misconduct occurred in his representation of a client in an employment discrimination lawsuit. This was an agreed disposition of misconduct charges.

view Dwoskin order (PDF file posted 1/21/10)