The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has ordered that a Portland-based lawyer be prohibited from practicing law for two years, with 15 months suspended.
Justice Donald G. Alexander said in the court order Feb. 19 that Anthony J. Sineni III, photographed in court in 2015, violated multiple rules of professional conduct. Staff photo by Gordon Chibroski
Associate Justice Donald G. Alexander said in the Feb. 19 order that Anthony J. Sineni III violated multiple rules of professional conduct related to competence, fees, confidentiality, deceit/honesty and several other issues, according to a news release issued Tuesday by the Board of Overseers of the Bar.
Sineni, a solo practitioner, has not begun serving his suspension. The start date will be determined at a final sanction hearing on April 4 at the Capital Judicial Center in Augusta, according to the release.
The board of overseers, created by the supreme court to govern the conduct of lawyers, initiated the disciplinary actions against Sineni.
“Due to Sineni’s agreement to engage in remedial measures designed to improve his law office management, the Court suspended all but nine months of the two-year suspension, with conditions that will be detailed within the final sanction order,” board Executive Director Jacqueline Rogers said in the release.
Conditions of Sinenis’ suspension will include participating in a continuing education course on trust accounts, monitoring by another Maine lawyer, and execution of a Maine Assistance Program contract. The Maine Assistance Program for Lawyers and Judges is a free counseling service for members of the Maine bench and bar, as well as law students.
Sineni, as part of a plea deal, was convicted of assault and disorderly conduct in January 2015 during a court hearing in which Judge Jeffrey Moskowitz ordered the media not to report anything that Sineni or witnesses said in the court hearing. A reporter for the Portland Press Herald protested the judge’s order, which the judge later apologized for issuing and rescinded it.
According to documents filed in the Supreme Judicial Court’s order, the parties agreed on terms of the suspension following a Jan. 29 hearing.
Sineni operates a private law firm and practices in the areas of criminal, family law, personal injury and probate matters.
Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:
dhoey@pressherald.com
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