| Matter of Attorneys in Violation of Judiciary Law § 468-a (Slocum) |
| 2025 NY Slip Op 04145 [240 AD3d 1053] |
| July 10, 2025 |
| Appellate Division, Third Department |
| Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. |
| In the Matter of Attorneys in Violation of Judiciary Law § 468-a. Committee on Professional Standards, Now Known as Attorney Grievance Committee for the Third Judicial Department, Petitioner; Joseph James Slocum, Respondent. (Attorney Registration No. 1756626.) |
Monica A. Duffy, Attorney Grievance Committee for the Third Judicial Department, Albany (Alison M. Coan of counsel), for petitioner.
Joseph James Slocum, Castine, Maine, respondent pro se.
Attorney and Client - Reinstatement
Attorney and Client - Resignation
Motion by respondent for an order reinstating him to the practice of law following his suspension by June 1999 order of this Court (Matter of Attorneys in Violation of Judiciary Law § 468-a, 262 AD2d 702, 706 [3d Dept 1999]; see Rules for Atty Disciplinary Matters [22 NYCRR] § 1240.16; Rules of App Div, 3d Dept [22 NYCRR] § 806.16) and, in succession, for an order granting him leave to resign for nondisciplinary reasons (see Rules for Atty Disciplinary Matters [22 NYCRR] § 1240.22).
Upon reading respondent's notice of motion and affidavit with exhibits sworn to April 8, 2025, his nondisciplinary resignation affidavit sworn to April 8, 2025, his supplemental request dated April 22, 2025, and the May 29, 2025 responsive correspondence from petitioner, and having determined, by clear and convincing evidence, that (1) respondent has complied with the order of suspension and the rules of this Court, (2) respondent has the requisite character and fitness to practice law, and (3) it would be in the public interest to reinstate respondent to the practice of law (see Rules for Atty Disciplinary Matters [22 NYCRR] § 1240.16 [a]), we grant his motion for reinstatement. Further, having determined that respondent is eligible to resign for nondisciplinary reasons, we grant his application and accept his resignation.[FN*]
Ordered that respondent's motion for reinstatement is granted; and it is further ordered that respondent is reinstated as an attorney and counselor-at-law, effective immediately; and it is further ordered that respondent's application for leave to resign is simultaneously granted and his nondisciplinary resignation is accepted; and it is further ordered that respondent's name is hereby stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law of the State of New York, effective immediately, and until further order of this Court (see generally Rules for Atty Disciplinary Matters [22 NYCRR] § 1240.22 [b]); and it is further ordered that respondent is commanded to desist and refrain from the practice of law in any form in the State of New York, either as principal or as agent, clerk or employee of another; and respondent is hereby forbidden to appear as an attorney or counselor-at-law before any court, judge, justice, board, commission or other public authority, or to give to another an opinion as to the law or its application, or any advice in relation thereto, or to hold himself out in any way as an attorney and counselor-at-law in this state; and it is further ordered that respondent shall, within 30 days of the date of this decision, surrender to the Office of Court Administration any Attorney Secure Pass issued to him.
Clark, J.P., Lynch, Ceresia, McShan and Powers, JJ., concur.