United States Court of Appeals
For the First Circuit
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No. 15-8022
IN RE: MANUEL R. SUAREZ-JIMENEZ
Respondent
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Before
Torruella, Thompson and Kayatta,
Circuit Judges.
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ORDER OF COURT
Entered: February 3, 2017
Petitioner seeks rehearing based on his claim that the per curiam opinion did not address
his argument that Puerto Rico's code of professional ethics could not be applied to him because
the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution preempts any Commonwealth rule that conflicts
with the rules of Florida adopted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
The per curiam opinion rejected this "due process violation" as exceeding the scope of due process
protections afforded to the respondent in an attorney disciplinary proceeding. In any event, the
argument is without basis in law or fact. Petitioner neither entered an appearance nor was
authorized to appear or practice in Florida. Plus, he points to no pertinent conflict between the
Florida and Puerto Rico rules of conduct, presumably because the pertinent rules in all relevant
U.S. jurisdictions allow for suspensions for, among other things, gross negligence and misleading
clients. The petition for rehearing is denied.
By the Court:
/s/ Margaret Carter, Clerk
cc:
Manuel R. Suarez-Jimenez
Clerk, Puerto Rico Supreme Court