Attorney Grievance Commission v. Howard

COLE, Judge,

dissenting:

The record in this case makes two conclusions indelibly clear: (1) this is basically a dispute between a single client and his attorney and (2) the evidence may have been cast in a more favorable light for respondent had he not elected to be his sole witness as well as his own counsel.

In any event, I do not believe that respondent’s misconduct calls for the ultimate sanction of disbarment. While the Court cannot overlook the fact of respondent’s prior disciplinary experience before this Court, Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Howard, 282 Md. 515, 385 A.2d 1191 (1978), a suspension for a lengthy period would be sufficient to protect the public interest as well as to impress the bar that respondent’s conduct fell below the professional standards of this State.

*761I, therefore, dissent from the Court’s order of disbarment.

Judge ELDRIDGE has authorized me to say that he concurs in the views expressed herein.