On Friday, May 16, 2023, the Board of Disciplinary Appeals of the Supreme Court of Texas issued an order publicly reprimanding attorney Jessica Michelle Dean as an attorney at law in the State of Texas for her ethical misconduct.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Jessica Michelle Dean,” with case no. 67844.
The charges cited Iowa Rules of Professional Conduct Rules 32:1:3, 32:5:1, 32:5:3, and 32:8:4(a), (c), and (d).
The case stemmed when the respondent filed an application for admission pro hac vice in Iowa containing materially false statements. The application was later granted in a civil case in Iowa in January 2021. On February 2021, the Attorney Disciplinary Board filed a motion for the respondent to resubmit her application because it inaccurately stated that the same was never before denied admission anywhere and had not been sanctioned. In March 2021, the respondent explained that a paralegal had signed and submitted applications for admission pro hac vice on multiple occasions without obtaining the review, approval, or signatures of the attorneys in question. The board agreed with the trial court judge that the respondent’s conduct violated the Iowa Rules of Professional Conduct.
The filing states:
“Respondent admitted to the Board that more than one of her applications for admission to practice in Iowa pro hac vice (not just the one that was challenged in February of 2021) failed to disclose that she was previously denied admission in Connecticut and failed to disclose her written order of sanction for disobedience to court rules or orders.”
The board acted on the basis of reciprocal discipline, which means that a lawyer who is disciplined in one jurisdiction may be subject to the same or similar discipline in another jurisdiction where they are licensed. The respondent did not file any exception to the reprimand issued by the Attorney Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Iowa and consented to its presentation to the court without further delay.
The Order states:
“The Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board reprimand of attorney Jessica Michelle Dean, Dallas, Texas, has been filed with the clerk of this court with proof of service and a statement that Respondent has not filed an exception within the time prescribed.”
Based upon the foregoing findings of facts, the board makes the following conclusions of law: the board has jurisdiction to hear and determine this matter, and reciprocal discipline identical, to the extent practicable, to that imposed by the Supreme Court of Iowa is warranted in this case.
The Disposition states:
“It is, accordingly, ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECLARED that respondent, Jessica Michelle Dean, State Bar Card No. 24040777, is hereby PUBLICLY REPRIMANDED as an attorney at law in the State of Texas.”
As of today, attorney Dean is listed in the law firm Dean Omar Branham Shirley LLP. She attended the University of Texas, graduating in 2003. She practices in Dallas, Texas. She is licensed in Texas. Her info can be found on texasbar.com.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
