On Monday, July 14, 2025, the Supreme Court of Maryland disbarred attorney Gary Pisner for multiple violations of the Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct. The decision stemmed from Pisner’s actions related to the Marion E. Pisner Revocable Trust, where he was found to have misappropriated trust assets, disregarded court orders, and engaged in frivolous litigation.
The case is entitled “Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland v. Gary Pisner,” with case no. 23.
Pisner served as co-trustee of the Marion E. Pisner Revocable Trust alongside his sister, Marla Pisner Rubinstein, following their mother’s death in 2009. The trust held residential properties in Maryland and Washington, D.C., and accounts at several banks. A 2010 meeting in Bel Air, Maryland, revealed disputes over Pisner’s use of trust funds for personal expenses, including divorce-related legal fees and credit card payments. Pisner failed to provide documentation to Rubinstein, who was supposed to assume management of the trust, and maintained exclusive control over its financial records.
Pisner filed a petition in Montgomery County Circuit Court, seeking guidance on the trust’s administration. Rubinstein responded by requesting an independent audit, citing Pisner’s unauthorized use of funds. Court proceedings revealed Pisner’s ledger documented approximately 70 personal transactions between 2009 and 2013, totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
In 2017, Judge Anne K. Albright removed both Pisner and Rubinstein as co-trustees, appointing Robert McCarthy as successor trustee. Pisner’s repeated failure to produce trust records led to a contempt finding by Judge Michael D. Mason in 2018, who noted it was “inconceivable” that Pisner, as an attorney and fiduciary of the estate, lacked source documents for trust expenditures.
Pisner’s legal actions extended beyond Maryland. In 2019, he filed a lawsuit against Rubinstein in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, alleging breach of contract, fraud, and other claims, which was dismissed as improper due to ongoing Maryland litigation.
In 2021, Pisner filed a nearly identical suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, seeking $3.7 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages, which was also dismissed. In 2022, Pisner sued McCarthy, his law partner, and accountant Dana Evans in the same court, recycling previously rejected claims. All actions were dismissed, with courts citing res judicata and lack of merit.
A two-day evidentiary hearing in June 2024, presided over by Judge Louis M. Leibowitz, found clear and convincing evidence that Pisner violated rules on competence, safekeeping property, meritorious claims, fairness to opposing parties, and professional misconduct. The hearing judge highlighted Pisner’s pattern of frivolous litigation across multiple jurisdictions, which caused significant legal expenses for Rubinstein and increased liability insurance costs for McCarthy and Evans. Pisner’s actions delayed trust resolution for over a decade, taxing judicial resources.
The Supreme Court upheld the hearing judge’s findings, noting Pisner’s lack of remorse and failure to acknowledge wrongdoing as aggravating factors. Despite his clean disciplinary record, the court deemed disbarment necessary due to the severity of his actions, including intentional misappropriation of trust funds and persistent misuse of the judicial system.
The court’s order emphasized that Pisner’s conduct was incompatible with the responsibilities of a licensed attorney, warranting his removal from practice to protect the public.
The Disposition states:
“For the reasons discussed above, we concluded in a March 5, 2025 order that Respondent violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1 (Competence), 1.15 (Safekeeping Property), 3.1 (Meritorious Claims and Contentions), 3.4 (Fairness to Opposing Party and Attorney), and 8.4(a) and (d) (Misconduct), and ordered that Respondent be disbarred.”
According to Avvo.com, Mr. Pisner is an attorney in Fairfax, Virginia. He acquired his law license in Maryland in 1989.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
