U.S Supreme Court: Complaint against lawyers
relating to Justice Kavanaugh appointment
A complaint has been filed against the lawyers who represented Christine Blasey Ford, the person who accused then Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual abuse against her arising from an incident going back to his teens. Readers will recall the dramatic testimony at the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings in Washington given by both Ms. Blasey Ford and the now associate Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh.
The complaint against her lawyers relates to the alleged non communication by her lawyers to her of an offer by the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman to allow her to be interviewed in California,, in whatever format she wanted, where she lives, rather than in Washington. The Chairman of the Committee offered, on a number of occasions, to her lawyers to conduct the interviews in California.
The complaint alleges that Ms Blasey Ford's lawyers did not let her know that she had the option of relating her story without the public spectacle in Washington
The complaint, filed with the DC Court of Appeal's Board on Professional Responsibility, is that her lawyers: " knowingly subordinated their client's interest in avoiding the publicity of a Senate Hearing and avoiding travel to Washington DC to the desire of the Democratic Senators on the Committee to have such a Hearing take place in Washington DC. Their failure to inform their Client of the offer to have the Committee staff investigate Dr Ford in California was dishonest at worst and careless at best. Either way, it is inexcusable, and raises substantial questions about their character and fitness to practice law. It warrants a full investigation by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel"
During the Hearing, Ms. Blasey Ford said : " if you were going to come out to see me, I would have happily hosted you … it was not clear to me that that was the case".
The Committee cited a number of e mails to her lawyers offering to interview her where she lives, and when she was asked about this at the Hearing, her lawyers refused to allow her answer and cited lawyer/client privilege. Her lawyers, Katz and Bromwich, have a track record of appearing in politically charged cases.
The complaint is made pursuant to Rules 1.4 (a) and (b) of the Rules of professional Conduct of the D.C. Bar.
If you require any further detail or advice, please contact John Reid in O’Rourke Reid
Dial: +353 1 240 1200
Email: jreid@orourkereid.com
This document is for information purposes only and does not purport to represent legal advice.
© O’Rourke Reid 2018