Receiving the 15th disciplinary action in a long, decades-spanning career is not a feather that many attorneys would want in their cap. But for Joseph Kaminsky, the recently suspended Minnesota lawyer, it appears to be one in a collection of many. Throughout his career, Kaminsky has faced disciplinary rebukes a record number of times, a topic that Above the Law has more comprehensively covered.
According to reports from the Wisconsin Law Journal, the Minnesota Supreme Court announced on Jan. 10 that Kaminsky was indefinitely suspended from the practice of law, stating no right to petition for reinstatement for nine months. Despite having practiced for over 50 years, Kaminsky’s disciplinary history extends throughout 43 years of his practice. His track record includes fourteen separate instances of discipline since 1979, nine admonishments, two instances of private probation, and now, three suspensions.
As the court noted, Kaminsky was previously disciplined for misconduct of the same type as his most recent case, making him a rather unique case in the archives of legal professionals. Against this decision, Kaminsky argued that the Court should leave him to retire as he had planned, highlighting that he was about to exit the profession anyway. However, it’s fair to say that after having faced so much disciplinary action over such a lengthy period, the terms of his exit were probably out of his hands.
It remains to be seen if Kaminsky’s story will serve as a cautionary tale for attorneys who might show leniency toward their professional conduct. One thing is certain: the veteran lawyer’s license suspension isn’t quite conventional retirement gift material and surely isn’t what he might have hoped for as he called time on his professional career.