People v. Farmer.

No. 23PDJ068. 6/6/2024. Reciprocal Discipline.

August 13, 2024

The Presiding Disciplinary Judge entered summary judgment, issued an opinion addressing the appropriate sanction to impose as reciprocal discipline, and suspended George L. Farmer (attorney registration number 30492) from the practice of law in Colorado for one year and one day. Farmer’s suspension took effect on July 11, 2024. To reinstate his Colorado law license following his suspension, Farmer must prove by clear and convincing evidence that he has been rehabilitated, has complied with all disciplinary orders and rules, and is fit to practice law. He also must first be reinstated in Maryland, which similarly requires Farmer to petition to reinstate, unless he shows good cause otherwise. Should Maryland reinstate Farmer before the full term of his suspension in Colorado runs, he may seek to reinstate in Colorado at that time.

This reciprocal discipline case arose out of discipline imposed on Farmer in Maryland. On July 10, 2023, the Supreme Court of Maryland indefinitely suspended Farmer, who is not licensed to practice law in that state. Farmer’s Maryland discipline was premised on his representation of two clients—both Maryland residents—with conflicting interests; charging one of the clients an unreasonable fee; filing a frivolous action in federal court against that same client’s agent, a Maryland lawyer serving as co-trustee of the client’s trust; engaging in the unauthorized practice of law in Maryland; and violating the Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct.

Through this conduct, Farmer engaged in conduct constituting grounds for reciprocal discipline under CRCP 242.21, which calls for imposition of the same or most closely analogous discipline as that imposed in Maryland.

The case file is public per CRCP 242.41(a).