Go And Sin No More

The Wyoming Supreme Court has imposed a public censure for a concurrent conflict of interest. The attoney represented a defendant charged with a drug offense. Through discovery, the lawyer learned that the client had implicated another current client who the lawyer represented in a divorce case. The criminal client and the divorce client came together to the lawyer's office. The lawyer met privately with the criminal client and advised him of the conflict. Although the lawyer disclosed the conflict (the client denied fingering the divorce client), the lawyer refused to continue the representation. Howver, the lawyer failed to withdraw from the criminal case for two weeks.

The court appointed mentors for the lawyer and indicated that any future ethical violation would result in a two-year suspension. (MIke Frisch)