Attorney Grievance v. Kalarestaghi

Summary

The Supreme Court of Maryland upheld findings that Respondent violated multiple professional-conduct rules by representing a tenant while owning and representing the landlord entity, failing to disclose and obtain written informed consent to the conflicts, entering the lease transaction without required safeguards, later suing the former client, and engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. The Court rejected all factual and legal exceptions except the finding of intentional dishonesty, concluding that the evidence did not establish a violation involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. It imposed a sixty-day suspension, stayed in favor of six months of probation conditioned on compliance with the professional-conduct rules and completion of an ethics or conflicts continuing-legal-education course.