The long saga of Joe Ganim's quest to return to practice took another turn a few days ago when a split standing committee on admissions voted 3-2 against recommending him. The application will now go to a three-judge panel who will decide whether to accept the report or take some other action, perhaps even overruling it. You can read the decision and the dissent here. The case is a real good example of the axiom that hard cases make bad law.

As a matter of full disclosure, I am not a disinterested reporter here. I know Joe Gamin. I think he's done great things as mayor of Bridgeport and I've told him so. I also know many people involved in his 20-year old case. Lawyers from my disciplinary counsel office negotiated the terms of his present suspension, and lawyers from that office successfully opposed his last attempt to return to the practice. I know both his present lawyer, Suzanne Sutton, (who I have very high regard for) as well as members of the standing committee who voted both ways on his application. I've spoken with countless lawyers, judges, justices, law students, law professors, law deans and many others over the years about his case. Everyone has an opinion.