A state disciplinary panel really useful that lawyer Joel A. Brodsky — perfect identified for representing convicted wife-killer Drew Peterson — must be stripped of his license for 2 years following an investigation into a chain of misconduct allegations.
In a record Tuesday, the Hearing Board of the Illinois Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission dominated that “aggressive tactics and relentless vindictiveness” characterised Brodsky’s trend of wrongdoing in 3 separate circumstances.
“That mindset, combined with his demonstrated pattern of behavior, his failure to recognize the wrongfulness of much of his misconduct and his lack of sincere remorse, leaves us skeptical that he will change his tactics,” the record states.
The panel’s really useful two-year suspension can be made retroactive to remaining June, when the Illinois Supreme Court stripped him of his legislation license on an period in-between foundation. The state’s top courtroom will now rule on the most recent advice.
That advice stems from a grievance the fee filed in 2018 referring to Brodsky’s conduct within the 3 circumstances. Tuesday’s record in the long run affirmed most of the fees lodged towards Brodsky, together with that he accused an opposing lawyer of extortion and puzzled the life of a professional witness’ son whilst he was once representing S&M Auto Brokers in an odometer rollback case in a federal case in Illinois’ Northern District.
In 2018, U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall fined Brodsky $50,000 for his habits within the case and ordered him to take ethics and anger control categories.
“Throughout the course of the litigation, the court has observed first-hand Brodsky’s unprofessional, contemptuous and antagonistic behavior directed at opposing counsel,” Kendall wrote of Brodsky’s habits, which integrated sending “vitriolic emails” to different lawyers.
Kendall additionally referred Brodsky to the district courtroom’s govt committee to be barred or suspended from practising legislation in federal courtroom in Chicago. He was once in the long run suspended remaining April for a 12 months, regardless that that suspension was once later decreased to 6 months when Brodsky authorised duty and paid a tremendous.
In addition, the Illinois Supreme Court in the past suspended Brodsky’s legislation license in 2004 for 3 months “for mishandling $23,000 of client funds, with no dishonesty involved.”
“As his actions in that matter were dissimilar to his present misconduct and a significant amount of time has since passed, we give little weight to his prior discipline,” Tuesday’s ruling states.
Peterson — the previous Bolingbrook police sergeant convicted of murdering his 3rd spouse, Kathleen Savio — has blamed Brodsky for his conviction in accordance with Brodsky’s choice to name a divorce lawyer who equipped bombshell testimony towards Peterson right through the trial. Following Peterson’s conviction in 2012, a Will County pass judgement on took factor with how Brodsky treated himself following the decision.
Brodsky additionally represented Robert Rialmo, the fired Chicago cop who shot and killed two other folks whilst responding to a home disturbance at a West Side house in 2015.
Brodsky couldn’t in an instant be reached for remark. But Tuesday’s ruling famous that he was once “bullied as a child, and felt an element of bullying behavior” in two of the circumstances.
“If he is confronted with contentious situations now, he brings in another lawyer to respond or consults other lawyers for advice,” the record states. “He knows his comments can become public, and would not insult anyone in an email.”