Legal Ethics in a New York Minute

Stay in compliance with your ethical obligations, avoid grievance complaints (ethics investigations) and minimize legal malpractice suits. Legal Ethics in a New York Minute is your legal ethics briefing designed to help you accomplish these goals. Each Season, host, Kaylin Whittingham analyzes the Ethical Rules, Disciplinary Decisions, and Ethics Opinions to share secrets to stay on track and tips on traps to avoid.

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Legal Ethics in a New York Minute

Episode 8 - Reciprocal Discipline

May 31, 2022 • Kaylin Whittingham • Season 1 • Episode 8

Welcome to the eight episode of Legal Ethics in a New York Minute with host Kaylin Whittingham. Your Legal Ethics briefing where you’ll hear tips to stay on track and traps to avoid. In this episode, Kaylin explains why what happens in Vegas, does NOT stay in Vegas when it comes to Reciprocal Discipline. Kaylin goes into the importance of self reporting when you have been disciplined in another jurisdiction and the potential consequences of failing to self report. Also included, some case examples that highlight how different jurisdictions may discipline you differently as well as the only three defenses an attorney could raise in New York in a reciprocal disciplinary matter. Join in on the discussion with Kaylin and suggest some topics you'd like to hear discussed.

This is a Seasonal Podcast with each Season having eight episodes that are released in two parts–four episodes each and offer tons of tips and nuggets from Kaylin's years of experience working in Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Kaylin was named Super Lawyer for Professional Liability in the New York Metro Area 2022 and Lawyer of Distinction 2022. In 2020, she was named in the Top 100 National Black Lawyers. She is the recipient of the 2018 National Bar Association Presidential Award; 2017 Association of Black Women Attorneys Achievement Award; and 2016 Black Women of Influence (BWOI) Trailblazer Award. Kaylin is featured in the Book and World Exhibit—"200 Women: Who Will Change the Way You See The World.” Guided by her mantra: "Inspire. Empower. Engage."—Kaylin advocates for women's rights, immigrants, victims of domestic violence, and the mentally ill.

0:00 - Intro.

0:48 - What happens in Vegas, does NOT stay in Vegas: What is reciprocal discipline?

1:34 - Breaking down foreign jurisdiction.

2:30 - You have a duty to report discipline by a foreign jurisdiction.

2:56 - Consequences of not self-reporting discipline by a foreign jurisdiction.

3:57 - Types of sanctions you may receive in reciprocal discipline.

4:42 - Factors that influence the types of sanctions you may receive in reciprocal discipline.

5:14 - Case Example: Matter of Feng Li

6:03 - Case Example: Matter of Falco

6:22 - New York's stance on domestic abuse cases.

7:10 - 3 defenses an attorney could raise in a reciprocal discipline matter.

7:53 - Outro