A disbarred Columbia Law School graduate has been barred by a federal judge in Ohio from using the initials "J.D." after his name. Bruce Andrew Brown was disbarred from practicing law in New York in 1992 and convicted of 44 felonies related to the unauthorized practice of law. A story in the National Law Journal says that in 2009, the Supreme Court of Ohio sanctioned Brown $50,000 for the unauthorized practice of law and ordered him to stop using "Esq.," "Esquire," "Juris Doctor" or "J.D." after his name. Last year, Brown appealed, in pro per, to the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Ohio on the grounds that the ban on his use of "J.D." violated his constitutional rights, including his First Amendment and due process rights.
A decision in a previous disciplinary matter had allowed a defendant to continue using "J.D" because there was no evidence that the designation misled anyone. The federal judge in Brown's case concluded, however, that Brown apparently intended to use "J.D." for illegal conduct.
A decision in a previous disciplinary matter had allowed a defendant to continue using "J.D" because there was no evidence that the designation misled anyone. The federal judge in Brown's case concluded, however, that Brown apparently intended to use "J.D." for illegal conduct.
HT: ABA Journal
