The Supreme Court of New Jersey made the legal news this month with its opinion In the Matter of Dionne Larrel Wade, an Attorney at Law, N.J. Supreme Court No. 085931 (June 7, 2022), where it permanently disbarred Ms. Wade from practicing law in the State of New Jersey in a “clear case of knowing misappropriation of client and escrow funds.” “From 2002 to 2017, [Ms. Wade] knowingly and repeatedly borrowed money from clients, without their knowledge or approval, to cover the needs of other clients and for her personal use.” Opinion, p. 1. Following the brightline rule established by In re Wilson, 81 N.J. 451, 453, 461 (1979), the New Jersey court automatically disbarred Ms. Wade for her knowing misappropriation of client funds, notwithstanding “remarkable personal and professional accomplishments,” “no prior disciplinary history” and “no clients [] harmed.” Further, “[u]nder New Jersey’s longstanding disciplinary rules, disbarment is permanent and marks the end of a person’s ability to practice law.” (Opinion, pp. 2-3) (emphasis added).
