On Tuesday, August 15, 2023, the Review Board of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission recommended attorney Richard P. Broderick’s five-month suspension from the practice of law for making a false statement to a court and engaged in dishonest conduct that undermined the administration of justice, as outlined in the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Richard P. Broderick,” and was filed by the Administrator, under case no. 2022PR00053.
The charges cited Broderick’s violation of Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct 3.3(a)(1), 8.4(c), and 8.4(d) of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.
The rules of professional conduct can be found here.
The misconduct in question occurred during a probate case involving Broderick’s mother’s estate, where he falsely claimed hospitalization and fabricated records to support his claim.
The Hearing Board found Broderick guilty of the charges and initially recommended a one-year suspension, to be in effect until further order of the Court. However, Broderick appealed the sanction and sought a reduced penalty of a three-month suspension.
During the disciplinary proceedings, Broderick represented himself and failed to fulfill certain requirements. He neglected to file an answer to the complaint, failed to provide a witness list, and missed a pre-hearing conference. These actions resulted in the allegations of the complaint being deemed admitted.
Broderick cited his lack of familiarity with the disciplinary procedures as the reason for his lapses. He mistakenly believed that emailing his answer to the Clerk’s Office and the Administrator’s counsel was sufficient, not realizing that he had failed to properly file it in the ARDC’s electronic filing system.
In his defense, Broderick highlighted the challenging circumstances surrounding his misconduct, which included significant stress, anxiety, health issues, financial difficulties, and ongoing divorce and probate proceedings. He claimed to have been diagnosed with depression during that period
Accordingly, the Review Board after its careful evaluation of the case, and upon consideration of the extent of the misconduct, mitigating factors, and relevant legal precedents, concluded that a five-month suspension would be an appropriate disciplinary measure, subject to further review and final determination by the Court.
The Recommendation reads:
“Accordingly, we recommend that Respondent be suspended for five months. We believe that a five-month suspension serves the goals of attorney discipline by protecting the public, acting as a deterrent to Respondent and other attorneys, and helping to preserve public confidence in the legal profession. We find that a five-month suspension is commensurate with Respondent’s misconduct and consistent with discipline that has been imposed for comparable misconduct, without being so harsh that it constitutes punishment.”
According to his LinkedIn page, Mr. Richard P. Broderick attended Thomas M. Cooley Law School, graduating in 1994. He is listed as the owner of the Law Office of Richard Broderick located in Wilmette. He has been admitted to practice law in Illinois since 1994.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
