Mark Dubois

Mark Dubois is counsel with the New London firm of Geraghty & Bonnano. He was Connecticut’s first Chief Disciplinary Counsel from 2003 until 2001. In that position he established an office that investigated and prosecuted attorney misconduct and the unauthorized practice of law. He is co-author of Connecticut Legal Ethics and Malpractice, the first book devoted to the topic of attorney ethics in Connecticut. He is a weekly contributor to the Connecticut Law Tribune where he writes the Ethics Matters column. Attorney Dubois represents individuals accused of ethical misconduct and malpractice. He also serves as an expert witness on matters of ethics and malpractice. He teaches ethics at UConn Law School and has taught ethics as Quinnipiac University School of Law where he was Distinguished Practitioner in Residence in 2011. He has lectured in Connecticut and nationally on attorney ethics and has given or participated in over 75 presentations and symposia on attorney ethics and malpractice. He has also taught trial advocacy and legal research and writing. Attorney Dubois has been board certified in civil trial advocacy by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification for over 20 years. He is presently president-elect of the Connecticut Bar Association and will be president in 2014. In addition to being an officer of the Bar Association, he is a member of the Professional Discipline, Unauthorized Practice, Pro Bono and Mentoring committees. He is a member of the New Britain, New London, and American Bar Associations as well as the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers. He is the recipient of the Quintin Johnstone Service to the Profession Award in 2012 and the American Board of Trial Advocacy, Connecticut Chapter, Annual Award in 2007.

June 29, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Nontraditional Representation Faces Latest Growing Pains

New Jersey lowered the boom on AVVO and LegalZoom the other day, finding their practice models violated a number of ethics rules, including fee sharing with nonlawyers and operation of an unlicensed referral service. I doubt this marks the end of them — it's more like a speed bump — but what our chief justice had to say the other day on alternative forms of dispute resolution is probably much more important.

By MARK DUBOIS

9 minute read

June 15, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune

The More Things Change ...

I feel like I'm caught is some weird, warped time loop — reliving, again and again, spectacular lawyer self-destructions. The last few weeks brought press reports of guilty pleas from several of our brethren. Change the names, and they could be any one of many, many I've seen before.

By MARK DUBOIS

8 minute read

May 24, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune

There Ought to Be a Rule ...

A number of recent events have brought me to the conclusion that we'd all be better off with a rule that makes it mandatory that someone who has a beef with a lawyer first bring their complaint to the attention of whatever judge, court, board or body that has jurisdiction over the matter before going to the grievance committee. Here are some examples and why this might be a good idea.

By Mark Dubois

8 minute read

May 02, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Normalizing the Normal

I was reading an article in the New York Times a few days ago about how the death of Prince, without a will, highlighted the importance of estate planning. The story did an OK job of explaining how the laws of different jurisdictions make some things tricky and explained the consequences of doing things wrong. What was missing was any suggestion that folks should talk to a lawyer.

By Mark Dubois

8 minute read

April 24, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Attorney's Imprisonment Should Serve as Lesson

Attorney Corey Brinson is going to prison, and that's a shame.

By MARK DUBOIS

10 minute read

April 10, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Judging the Judges

When testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Neil Gorsuch pointed out that judges are supposed to be more than politicians wearing robes. Amen to that. Unfortunately, in most of the country, where trial and appellate judges and justices are elected, too many times they are just that.

By MARK DUBOIS

8 minute read

March 27, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Jacoby & Meyers Case—Not Only Unsuccessful but Moot, Too

The Second Circuit just put to rest Jacoby & Meyers' lawsuit challenging New York's prohibition in Rule 5.4 on nonlawyer investment in law firms. It's not surprising, as the challenge seemed fatally flawed in some respects

By MARK DUBOIS

9 minute read

January 25, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Consumer Protection Dept. Steps Back Into Attorney Regulation

My concern is, with many folks regulating the same thing, lawyers may be whipsawed between differing and competing interpretations of laws, rules and opinions. If I bring my ad to the Grievance Committee and obtain an advisory opinion that it is OK, does Consumer Protection still have power to say that it is not?

By MARK DUBOIS

8 minute read

December 28, 2016 | Connecticut Law Tribune

The Year Ahead for Lawyers

From the worst of times will come the best of times, and being a lawyer will continue to be an honorable calling.

By Mark Dubois

8 minute read

November 22, 2016 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Lawyer Techies

The idea that disputes need to be adjudicated in a room in a courthouse with two litigants standing before a judge, each accompanied by a lawyer, when internet-based services such as Modria adjudicate tens of millions of disputes every year for eBay and other online sales platforms, is about as absurd as requiring litigants to ride horses to court wearing morning suits and top hats.

By MARK DUBOIS

8 minute read

More from ALM

Legal Speak is a weekly podcast that makes sense of what’s happening in the legal industry.