D.C. Court of Appeals Suspends Ex-Pillsbury Associate

The D.C. Court of Appeals handed down a 60-day suspension today for a former Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman associate who told clients that he was senior counsel.

According to the per curiam opinion (.pdf), Garland Stillwell also admitted that he "made a false representation on behalf of a friend, improperly charged personal expenses to others, worked outside the law firm against the law firm's written policies, and asserted a position on behalf of clients that was adverse to a position taken by a client of his firm without first obtaining informed consent of all parties."

Stillwell worked at Pillsbury from June 1, 2004, to Feb. 20, 2008.

A hearing committee of the D.C. Board on Professional Responsibility recommended on June 4 that Stillwell receive a 60-day suspension as opposed to a sterner punishment because he admitted his wrongdoing and made attempts to address it. Stillwell reimbursed the firm for its losses and received professional counseling. At the end of suspension, he will not be required to show he is fit to practice law before he is reinstated.

Most recently, Stillwell had been working as an associate at O'Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore in Calverton,  Md., but the firm's managing partner John Davey says he hasn't been employed at the firm since June 30.

"We were aware that he faced the prospect of suspension, and without a license, he is not eligible to practice law at the firm," Davey says. "We felt it was in everybody's best interest to accept his resignation and move on."

Comments

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