DOJ Division Leader Apologizes for License Lapse and Inadvertent Practice
“Have you recently made a career move — maybe going in-house? Or shifting from a firm to government work? When you’re dealing with a work-life change, watch out for details that can too-easily fall through the cracks — like your license to practice, the date it expires, and whether you are in line to get an expiration notice.” reports Karen Rubin in The Law for Lawyers Today In-House Counsel.
“Illustrating the possible pitfalls: a high-level Justice Department lawyer was in the spotlight this week because he practiced for two months while unaware that his license had lapsed. He issued apology letters, including to the Ninth Circuit, where he had presented an oral argument while unlicensed.”
“The lawyer heads the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. He has been a member of the D.C. bar since 1997, and worked at Kirkland & Ellis before joining the DOJ in 2018. His license was deactivated October 1 for not paying his annual bar dues.”
