Opinion
Docket No. DRB 14-139
02-03-2015
Re: In the Matter of Martin A. Gleason
ELLEN A. BRODSKY CHIEF COUNSEL ISABEL FRANK DEPUTY CHIEF COUNSEL MELISSA URBAN FIRST ASSISTANT COUNSEL TIMOTHY M. ELLIS LILLIAN LEWIN BARRY R. PETERSEN JR. COLIN T. TAMS KATHRYN ANNE WINTERLE ASSISTANT COUNSEL
BONNIE C. FROST, ESQ., CHAIR
EDNA Y. BAUGH, ESQ., VICE-CHAIR
BRUCE W. CLARK, ESQ.
HON. MAURICE J. GALLIPOLI
THOMAS J. HOBERMAN
EILEEN RIVERA
ANNE C. SINGER, ESQ.
ROBERT C. ZMIRICH ELLEN A. BRODSKY
CHIEF COUNSEL ISABEL FRANK
DEPUTY CHIEF COUNSEL MELISSA URBAN
FIRST ASSISTANT COUNSEL TIMOTHY M. ELLIS
LILLIAN LEWIN
BARRY R. PETERSEN JR.
COLIN T. TAMS
KATHRYN ANNE WINTERLE
ASSISTANT COUNSEL RICHARD J. HUGHES JUSTICE COMPLEX VIA CERTIFIED MAIL , R.R.R. & REGULAR MAIL
Martin A. Gleason, Esq.
114 East Union Avenue
Bound Brook, New Jersey 08805 District Docket No. XIII-2013-0002E
LETTER OF ADMONITION Dear Mr. Gleason:
The Disciplinary Review Board has reviewed your conduct in the above-captioned matter and has concluded that it was improper. Following a review of the record, and with the approval of the Supreme Court, the Board determined to impose an admonition.
Specifically, in your reply to the grievance filed in this matter by your former client, Daniel Stein, you admitted that, on two separate dates in 2008 and 2010, you failed to inform Mr. Stein that his land use application had been deemed deficient and dismissed by the Bound Brook Planning Board. Mr. Stein did not learn about these dismissals until he retained new counsel to pursue this application on his behalf. Your conduct was unethical and a violation of RPC 1.4(b).
Additionally, you failed to cooperate with the District XIII Ethics Committee (DEC). You did not file an answer to the complaint and ignored the DEC investigator's multiple attempts to obtain a copy of Mr. Stein's file. Your conduct was unethical and a violation of RPC 8.1(b).
In imposing only an admonition, the Board considered, in mitigation, your acceptance of full responsibility for the dismissal of your client's applications, the fact that you refunded your entire legal fee to Mr. Stein, and that you erroneously believed that your reply to the grievance and a subsequent letter to the DEC secretary admitting the allegations of the complaint satisfied your obligation to file a formal answer.
Your conduct has adversely reflected not only upon you as an attorney but also upon all members of the bar. Accordingly, the Board has directed the issuance of this admonition to you. R. 1:20-15(f)(4).
A permanent record of this occurrence has been filed with the Clerk of the Supreme Court and the Board's office. Should you become the subject of any further discipline, it will be taken into consideration.
The Board has also directed that the costs of the disciplinary proceedings be assessed against you. R. 1:20-17. An invoice of costs will be forwarded under separate cover.
Very truly yours,
/s/
Ellen A. Brodsky
Chief Counsel c: Chief Justice Stuart Rabner
Associate Justices
Bonnie Frost, Chair (via email)
Disciplinary Review Board
Mark Neary, Clerk
Supreme Court of New Jersey
Gail G. Haney, Deputy Clerk
Supreme Court of New Jersey (w/ethics history)
Charles Centinaro, Director (via email)
Office of Attorney Ethics
Amy Z. Shimalla, Chair
District XIII Ethics Committee
Donna P. Legband, Secretary
District XIII Ethics Committee
Daniel Stein, Grievant