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.

February 04, 2014 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Mark Dubois: Another Lesson In Digital Literacy

Two or three years ago at a Connecticut Bar Association professionalism symposium, Mike Bowler, the Statewide Bar Counsel, discussed how changes to Rule 1.1, which deals with lawyer competence, now requires lawyers to have technological competence.

By Mark Dubois

5 minute read

January 29, 2014 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Opinion: Navigating The Grievance Minefield

Lots of people file grievance complaints about lawyers. One of the quirks of our system is that there is no standing requirement to become a complainant against a lawyer in a discipline case.

By Mark Dubois

4 minute read

January 22, 2014 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Mark Dubois: Independent Contractors Can Present Labor Issues

Second of two parts. Last week I wrote about the ethics issues related to independent contracting. Now for a bit on the labor issues. As I said in the preface to the last article, I am no labor lawyer. If anything you read in this article gives you pause for concern about how you run your business, talk to someone who knows this stuff.

By Mark Dubois

4 minute read

January 07, 2014 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Mark Dubois: I Don't Recommend It

The Connecticut Bar Association Ethics solons have proposed a change to our advertising rules adding language to the commentary to Rule 7.2. The proposal, taken from the American Bar Association model rule, includes a definition of "recommend." In rule regimes, the devil is often found in the details, and the devil in Rule 7.2 is that it prohibits paying another to recommend a lawyer's services.

By MARK DUBOIS

4 minute read

January 02, 2014 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Opinion: Client Accounts Continue To Trip Up Lawyers

I recently came across the following rule form the Florida Rules of Professional Conduct:

By Mark Dubois

4 minute read

December 31, 2013 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Opinion: Client Accounts Continue To Trip Up Lawyers

I recently came across the following rule form the Florida Rules of Professional Conduct:

By MARK DuBOIS

4 minute read

December 26, 2013 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Opinion: The Bar As A Melting Pot

I was an English major in college but it seems I took more courses in anthropology and related topics than I did in my major.

By Mark Dubois

4 minute read

December 24, 2013 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Opinion: The Bar As A Melting Pot

I was an English major in college but it seems I took more courses in anthropology and related topics than I did in my major. Or maybe it's just that I remember those courses better than Middle English authors. Either way, a bit of background in sociology isn't a bad thing when you are trying to take a pulse on where the bar is today and where it is going.

By Mark Dubois

4 minute read

December 17, 2013 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Editorial: Modest Means Doesn't Mean Modest Needs

Some bar associations are trying to reconnect lawyers with modest means clients. By offering supported practice environments and making things like legal research and work space available at greatly reduced rates, they hope to put many new lawyers into the game.

By MARK DUBOIS

4 minute read

December 12, 2013 | Connecticut Law Tribune

Opinion: Maybe We Are Public Buses

David Atkins, who has a professional liability practice, lectures lawyers about the importance of choosing clients who are not so unrealistic, demanding, or nutty as to be surely never satisfied and the guaranteed source of grievances.

By Mark Dubois

4 minute read

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