Paul F. Coddington Jr. (2015)

to his employer that he had applied for reinstatement, by failing to respondent stipulated that he violated this rule by falsely representing conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. The 2) Rule 8.4(c), which makes it professional misconduct to engage in

to court and to begin to handle client matters. misrepresentation as the basis for allowing him to accompany a client bar. He further stipulated that the employer relied on this · attorney employing him that he had applied for reinstatement to the stipulated that he violated this rule by falsely representing to the statement of material fact or law to a third person. The respondent 1) Rule 4.1, which prohibits a lawyer from knowingly making a false

Conduct: · while employed by the law firm he violated the following Rules of Professional 20 11, the respondent was hired by a law firm as a paralegal. He stipulated that practice of law by the court in March 2007 and had not been reinstated. In time, the respondent was a suspended attorney; he had been suspended from the the basis for the petition for disbarment occurred in 2011 and 2012. At that Counsel and the respondent. According to the stipulation, the conduct that is PCC based on a stipulation of facts and violations agreed to by Disciplinary The matter was submitted initially to a hearing panel and thereafter to the

PCC's petition are deemed admitted. petition. Therefore, in accordance with Rule 37(16)(c), the allegations of the class mail were not returned. The respondent has not filed a response to the certified mail were returned to the court unclaimed. The copies sent by first­ petition within 30 days of service. The copies of the petition and order sent by was accompanied by an order requiring the respondent to file an answer to the Attorney Discipline Office (ADO) during the disciplinary proceedings. The petition the respondent by first-class and certified mail at the address he provided to the to as the respondent. In accordance with Rule 37(16), the petition was sent to petition for disbarment of Attorney Paul F. Coddington, Jr., hereinafter referred On March 24, 2015, the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) filed a

LD-2015-0004, In the Matter of Paul F. Coddington, Jr., Esquire

and administrative proceedings, of his disbarment and consequent to notify any clients in pending matters, including litigated matters (6) In accordance with Rule 37(13)(a) and (b), the respondent is ordered

the date of this order. he has not engaged in any work in the legal field in any capacity since submit an affidavit with his application for readmission certifying that (5) As a condition of readmission, the respondent shall be required to

095/LD- p. 2 2005-0009). investigation and prosecution of his prior disciplinary matter (PCC-04reimburse the Attorney Discipline Office for all costs incurred in the (4) As a condition of readmission, the respondent shall be required to

requirements of Rule 37(14). Professional Responsibility Examination and meet the other take the New Hampshire Bar Examination and the Multistate seeks readmission to the bar in the future, he shall be required to for a period of five years from the date of this order. If the respondent (3) The respondent may not seek readmission to the New Hampshire bar

this matter. costs and expenses incurred in the investigation and prosecution of ( p. 2 2) The respondent shall reimburse the Attorney Discipline Office for all

practice of law in New Hampshire. (1) The respondent, Paul F. Coddington, Jr., is disbarred from the

Accordingly, the court orders as follows: PCC's findings and its recommendation that Attorney Coddington be disbarred. Having reviewed the petition and the PCC's record, the court accepts the

that it impose several conditions on his readmission. violated these rules. It recommended that the court disbar the respondent, and The PCC found by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent

of Professional Conduct. 3) Rule 8.4(a), which make it professional misconduct to violate the Rules

misconduct. affirmatively advise the client that he had been suspended for and his ability to participate in a court hearing, and by failing to correct the employer's representation to a client regarding his status p. 3 3

File Paul F. Coddington, Jr., Esquire Janet F. DeVito, Esquire Sara S. Greene, Esquire David M. Rothstein, Esquire Professional Conduct Committee, 1 p. 3 3-010 Distribution:

DATE: June 2, 2015

Dalianis, C.J., and Hicks, Conboy, Lynn, and Bassett, JJ., concurred.

legal counsel. inability to act as an attorney, and shall advise the clients to seek new