On Wednesday, November 23, 2022, the Supreme Court of Florida suspended DeLand attorney Bradley Stuart Sherman from the practice of law for 18 months on alleged misconduct. Moreover, the latter granted the petition of the complainant and held the respondent in contempt of court.
The case is entitled “The Florida Bar v. Bradley Stuart Sherman” and was brought by Florida Bar. Case #SC22-114.
The following are as alleged and summarized from the filing:
On September 08, 2022, the respondent, Sherman issued a Verified Response to the Petition for contempt and Order to Show Cause against him. The respondent allegedly violated the requirements of R. Regulating Fla. Bar 3-6.1 by failing to file employment reports with the bar and by having impermissible direct contact with clients while suspended from the practice of law. In the said response, the respondent agreed that his failure to review the actual provisions of Rule 3-6.1 was negligent, for which he regrets and for which he apologizes and is remorseful. He stated that he did not intentionally or knowingly violate the rule, but through neglect did not read the specific requirements of the rule at the time.
On September 15, 2022, the complainant filed a Reply to Order to Show Cause. The Florida Bar stated that the Respondent didn’t dispute the Bar’s allegations and that he merely argued that his failure to comply with the rule was due to his failure to read. Accordingly, the complainant argues that the case law cited by the respondent in his response is distinguishable from the respondent’s present matter with respect to the length of the suspension imposed due to the contempt finding. A majority of the cases cited by the respondent in support of his argument for an additional suspension period of fewer than 18 months concerned attorneys who initially had received shorter suspensions than the respondent, mostly 90 or 91-day suspensions. The respondent received a one-year suspension. Therefore, imposing a shorter suspension would not be in keeping with the case law. In conclusion, the complainant requested an 18-month suspension of the respondent. Hence, an order was issued by the Supreme Court of Florida.
The Order states:
‘This is before the Court on The Florida Bar’s Petition for Contempt and Order to Show Cause. The Court has issued its Order to Show Cause to the respondent and the respondent has filed a response to said Order to Show Cause, IT IS ORDERED that The Florida Bar’s petition is granted and the respondent is held in contempt of this Court’s order, dated July 22, 2021, in Case No. Sc20-1550. As a sanction, the respondent is suspended from the practice of law for eighteen months, to run consecutive to his existing one-year suspension. The respondent is currently suspended; therefore this suspension is effective immediately. Respondent shall fully comply with Rule Regulating the Florida Bar 3-5.1(h). Respondent shall also fully comply with Rule Regulating the Florida Bar 3-6.1, if applicable.’
As of today, Mr. Sherman is listed on the website of the law firm Law Offices of Bradley S. Sherman as a practicing attorney. He graduated from Western Michigan University Cooley of Law. Sherman practices in Deland, Florida. He has been licensed in Florida. His info can be found at Avvo.com.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
