Paul Mensah

DCCA Opinion (November 4, 2021)

Summary: In re Paul T. Mensah. Bar No. 480889. November 4, 2021. The D.C. Court of Appeals approved a petition for negotiated discipline and suspended Mensah for three years with fitness. The court held commissioner of the Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission… Lisa Helem, executive editor for strategic initiatives at Bloomberg Industry Group, received a 2021 that in some circumstances, a sancti n of less than disbarment is permitted in negotiated-discipline cases involving reckless misappropriation, “even if Excellence in Financial Journalism Award from the other circumstances of the case do not rise to the level of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ as that phrase has been understood in the context of contested reckless-misappropriation cases.” Mensah acknowledged that he recklessly misappropriated entrusted funds in two matters, entered into an impermissible fee-splitting arrangement, and failed to keep proper records in violation of Rules 1.5(e) and 1.15(a).

Board Report and Orders (July 19, 2021)

Summary: In re Paul T. Mensah. Bar No. 480889. July 19, 2021. Referred by the D.C. Court of Appeals to address the question of the appropriateness of the recommended sanction in light of the court's precedent in cases involving reckless misappropriation, the Board on Professional Responsibility recommended that the court approve the sanction of a three-year suspension plus a requirement that the respondent prove fitness to practice before being readmitted for violations of Rules 1.5(e) and 1.15(a). The Board held that the sanction was not unduly lenient negotiated discipline in cases of reckless misappropriation. Three members of the Board concurred in the recommendation, finding that the sanction was justified and not unduly lenient on the facts of Mensah, but objecting to the majority's conclusion that such a sanction would be appropriate generally as negotiated discipline for reckless misappropriation cases.

Hearing Committee Report (September 17, 2020)

Summary: The Board on Professional Responsibility's Ad Hoc Hearing Committee recommended that the D.C. Court of Appeals accept Mensah's petition for negotiated disci­pline and suspend him for three years with fitness for violations of Rules 1.5(e)and 1.15(a.)

Petition for Negotiated Discipline (December 11, 2019)