Board of Overseers of the Bar v. Kirk Y. Griffin

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Docket No.: BAR-13-18

Issued by: Supreme Judicial Court

Date: January 13, 2014

Respondent: Kirk Y. Griffin

Bar Number: 009485

Order: Suspension Reciprocal Discipline

Disposition/Conduct: Reciprocal Discipline

ORDER OF SUSPENSION

This Court has received a certified copy of the September 13, 2013 Order of Immediate Temporary Suspension issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts? Supreme Judicial Court. The Order suspended Kirk Y. Griffin for his violations of the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct. Specifically those violations include Trust Account improprieties, commingling funds, failure to return client funds and failure to comply with Bar Counsel?s requests for Trust Account records.

In this reciprocal discipline action filed by the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar, Mr. Griffin has filed no response to this Court?s October 17, 2013, Order and Notice. That Order provided Mr. Griffin an opportunity to show cause why the Court should not impose identical discipline to that imposed upon him in Massachusetts.

Upon consideration of the Board?s Petition for Reciprocal Discipline and Mr. Griffin?s lack of objection to an identical suspension in Maine, it is hereby ORDERED as follows:

  1. The Board of Overseers of the Bar?s Petition for Reciprocal Discipline is hereby granted in all respects;

  2. Effective immediately and pursuant to M. Bar R. 7.3(h)(3), Kirk Y. Griffin is suspended from the practice of law in Maine. That suspension relates to Griffin?s violations of those portions of Maine?s Rules of Professional Conduct that are analogous to the violations found by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

  3. By analogy, the Maine Rule violations would include M. R. Prof. Conduct 1.15; 1.16(d); 8.1(b) and 8.4(a)(c)(d).

  4. Kirk Y. Griffin?s suspension remains in effect until further Order of this Court.

  5. Within thirty (30) days of the entry of this order, Kirk Y. Griffin shall file with the Clerk and with the Board of Overseers an affidavit attesting to his compliance with the provisions of Maine Bar Rule 7.3(i)(1)(c).

Jon D. Levy , Associate Justice

Maine Supreme Judicial Court