On Thursday, May 16, 2024, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals suspended attorney Latif S. Doman from the practice of law for 30 days and required him to prove his fitness before resuming practice of law in DC.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Latif S. Doman,” with case no. 2024-BG-0578.
The case stems from disciplinary charges brought against Doman by the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel related to his handling of client funds and his conduct during their investigation. Disciplinary Counsel had charged Doman with multiple violations of the D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct.
A Hearing Committee found that Disciplinary Counsel had only proven one violation – that Doman failed to keep complete records of client funds as required by Rule 1.15(a). The committee recommended a reprimand as the appropriate sanction.
However, the Board on Professional Responsibility disagreed with parts of the Hearing Committee’s report. The Board found Doman had committed additional violations, including seriously interfering with the administration of justice by failing to provide documents in response to subpoenas from Disciplinary Counsel without asserting any right to refuse.
The Court of Appeals upheld several of the Board’s conclusions. The Court agreed Doman violated rules requiring complete accounting of client funds and prohibiting interference with investigations. It also accepted the Board’s finding that Doman provided intentionally false testimony at his disciplinary hearing.
Specifically, Doman had testified that a transaction spreadsheet he provided was created by his bank, TD Bank. However, the Board found overwhelming evidence the spreadsheet was not from the bank, and Doman’s testimony on this point was intentionally false.
Considering Doman’s misconduct and the seriousness of providing intentionally false testimony, the Court adopted the Board’s recommended 30-day suspension. It also added the requirement that Doman prove his fitness to resume practice, which the Board had not explicitly addressed.
The Court noted Doman has not shown appreciation for the wrongfulness of his conduct, as evidenced by arguments he continued making before the Court. It also emphasized intentionally false testimony demonstrates a failure to appreciate improper conduct. Further, Doman’s unreasonable refusal to comply with the investigation seriously interfered with justice administration.
The Court observed it has frequently imposed fitness requirements in cases involving an attorney’s failure to recognize misconduct, provision of intentionally false testimony, and interference with investigations. No case with all three circumstances did not include a fitness requirement.
Accordingly, the Court suspended Doman for 30 days and conditioned his reinstatement on proving his fitness to practice law.
According to Avvo, Mr. Doman is a civil rights attorney. He attended the University of Pennsylvania. He obtained his law license in D.C. in 2001.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
