NEW YORK ―
Hal R. Lieberman, the Partner-in-Charge of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP’s
New York office, was the subject of an interview in the March 25, 2011 issue of the
New York Law Journal. The article, entitled “
Q&A With Hal R. Lieberman,” focused primarily on Mr. Lieberman’s long experience handling legal ethics and professional liability matters, and his views on attorney discipline from the perspective of the former Chief Counsel to the disciplinary committee in New York's First Judicial Department.
Asked, “[w]hat is the worst thing an attorney under investigation can do?” Mr. Lieberman replied, “Fail to respond. Your readers might be surprised by the number of lawyers who ‘stick their heads in the sand’ when they receive a complaint, even one that is borderline frivolous. The failure to respond automatically escalates the seriousness of the matter. The second worst thing is a response laced with anger and resentment directed at the complainant or at the committee for having the temerity to suggest that the lawyer did something wrong. These are bad strategies.”
Mr. Lieberman also provided advice for younger lawyers seeking an entree into the field of legal ethics. In response to the question whether he would recommend that a young attorney spend time in public service before entering private practice, he replied, “I would highly recommend spending time in government or in some other public service position at any point in one's career. Nearly every lawyer I know who also had that opportunity describes public service as among the best, most exciting phases of his/her legal career.”
Mr. Lieberman holds the AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability. In 2011 he was included in “The Best Lawyers in America
®” in the area of Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law. He joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in March 2004 and is a past member of the firm’s Executive Committee.
Founded in 1934, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is a national law firm with approximately 500 lawyers in 24 offices spanning 12 states, including
Arizona,
California,
Florida,
Illinois,
Indiana,
Massachusetts,
Minnesota,
Missouri,
New York,
Oregon,
Rhode Island and
Wisconsin.
Hinshaw offers a full-service practice, with an emphasis in litigation, business law and corporate transactions, environmental, intellectual property, labor and employment law, professional liability defense, estate planning and taxation matters. The firm represents a range of for-profit and not-for-profit clients in industries that include alarm and security services, construction, financial services, health care, hospitality, insurance, lawyers and law firms, manufacturing, real estate, retail and transportation. Hinshaw clients also include government agencies, municipalities and schools.