People v. Westman.

No. 23PDJ016. 4/19/2024. Opinion Opposing Sanctions.

June 17, 2024

Following a disciplinary hearing, a hearing board suspended Patrick Westman (attorney registration number 42606) for one year and one day, with six months to be served and six months and one day to be stayed pending Westman’s successful completion of a two-year period of probation, which carries conditions. Westman’s suspension took effect on May 24, 2024.

Westman neglected to fulfill his continuing legal education requirements. Unbeknownst to him, his law license was administratively suspended in 2021. He then inadvertently engaged in the unauthorized practice of law before realizing his error and rectifying the situation. In a separate matter, Westman engaged in criminal conduct when, at a self-checkout terminal at a local Walmart store, he failed to scan and pay for numerous items and then departed the self-scan area in the direction of the store’s exit.

Through this conduct, Westman violated Colo. RPC 5.5(a)(1) (a lawyer may not practice law in Colorado without a valid license or other authorization issued by the Colorado Supreme Court) and Colo. RPC 8.4(b) (it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects). The case file is public per CRCP 242.41(a).