Bay Ridge Lawyers Association hosts meeting on attorney discipline and professional conduct

The Bay Ridge Lawyers Association and its President Adam Kalish recently convened at Mama Rao’s in Dyker Heights for its monthly meeting, which featured an enlightening discussion on attorney discipline and professional behavior.

The focus of the gathering was a presentation titled “Behave Yourself: Rule 8.4 and Attorney Discipline,” delivered by two esteemed local attorneys, Angélicque Moreno and Michael Farkas, with materials prepared by Andrea E. Bonina.

The discourse centered around Rule 8.4, an essential guideline for legal practitioners that underscores the necessity of maintaining professional conduct in all aspects of their practice. This rule outlines behaviors that are unacceptable for attorneys, such as engaging in dishonesty, fraud, discrimination, harassment, and any actions prejudicial to the administration of justice or that adversely reflect on an attorney’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer.

In 2022, New York’s Appellate Division departments collectively adopted a version of the ABA Model Rule 8.4(g), which specifically prohibits discrimination and harassment in the practice of law. The presentation addressed the balance between upholding free speech and ensuring the legal profession is conducted with integrity and respect for all individuals.