Attorney Joshua M. Briskin suspended by Pennsylvania Supreme Court for failure to furnish fee agreement

On Friday, August 4, 2023, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania suspended attorney Joshua M. Briskin for failure to furnish a documented fee agreement. The case is entitled “Office of the Disciplinary Counsel v. Joshua M. Briskin” with case no. 72 DB 2021.

In a report and recommendation by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Board, it was claimed that Briskin, during client representation, engaged in the subsequent wrongdoing: lack of client communication, non-repayment of fees, absence of fee agreement and receipt, non-cooperation with the inquiry, absence of evidence countering allegations, and absence of acknowledgment of responsibility or regret.

In relation to this, Briskin was suspended from practicing law for a period of three years by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. This decision came as a result of multiple violations of professional conduct, as outlined in a report and recommendation by the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. The disciplinary proceedings against Briskin, which began in May 2021, stemmed from allegations of misconduct in two separate client cases. The report and recommendation detailed the history of proceedings and findings of fact related to the violations.

In the case of Juan Carlos Lopez-Alameda, a Mexican national, Briskin had accepted $2,000 toward a $7,500 fee for representation in a DUI matter. However, Briskin had failed to provide a written fee agreement, did not carry professional liability insurance, and did not attend a crucial arraignment hearing, resulting in a bench warrant for his client’s arrest. He also failed to communicate with the client when the client faced detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and did not refund the fee paid.

A similar pattern had emerged in the representation of Shykeir Smith. Briskin accepted payments to file post-conviction relief act petitions but failed to provide a fee agreement, perform the necessary legal work, or refund fees after the client terminated the representation.

The report also highlighted Briskin’s lack of cooperation with the disciplinary investigation, failure to show remorse, and disrespectful behavior during the proceedings. This was not the first time Briskin had faced disciplinary action. In 2019, he received a public reprimand with probation for one year for misconduct, including sending sexually explicit texts to a client and making inappropriate comments.

Aligned with the existing records and decisions reached in past comparable disciplinary cases, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Board concluded that a suspension is appropriate. The board collectively advised a unanimous suspension of Mr. Briskin’s legal practice.

The Disposition states:

“AND NOW, this 4th day of August 2023, upon consideration of the Report and Recommendations of the Disciplinary Board, Joshua M. Briskin is suspended from the Bar of this Commonwealth for a period of three years. Respondent shall comply with the provisions of Pa.R.D.E. 217 and pay costs to the Disciplinary Board. See Pa.R.D.E. 208(g).”

Mr. Briskin attended the Louis De Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville. He practices in Furlong, Pennsylvania. He is licensed in Pennsylvania. His info can be found on Linkedin.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.