June 25, 2021

Disciplinary proceedings instituted by the Attorney Grievance Committee for the First Judicial Department

Rudolph W. Giuliani, Esq. challenged the Attorney Grievance Committee for the First Judicial Department's seeking a court order pursuant to Judiciary Law §90(2) and the Rules for Attorney Disciplinary Matters (22 NYCRR) §1240.9(a)(5), immediately suspending him from the practice of law based upon his alleged violations of rules 3.3(a); 4.1; 8.4(c) and 8.4(h) of the Rules of Professional Conduct (22 NYCRR 1200.0) (Rules of Conduct or RPC).

Concluding that there was uncontroverted evidence that Mr. Giuliani communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump's failed effort at reelection in 2020, the Appellate Division opined that "These false statements were made to improperly bolster respondent's narrative that due to widespread voter fraud, victory in the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from his client."

Conceding that interim suspension is a serious remedy, available only in situations where it is immediately necessary to protect the public from the respondent's violation of the Rules, the Appellate Division held that Mr. Giuliani's conduct "immediately threatens the public interest and warrants interim suspension from the practice of law." 

Accordingly, the court granted the Attorney Grievance Committee's motion and suspended Mr. Giuliani from the practice of law in the State of New York "until such time as disciplinary matters pending before the Committee have been concluded, and until further order of this Court."

Click Here to access the court's decision.