Statewide Grievance Com. v. Rothenberg, No. Cv 00-0598362 (Jul. 24, 2000)

**What the Case Was About** This case involved disciplinary action against attorney Rothenberg by the Connecticut Statewide Grievance Committee. Rothenberg had pleaded guilty to federal income tax evasion and was serving probation. The grievance committee had to decide what professional punishment was appropriate for a lawyer who committed this crime. **What the Court Decided** The court suspended Rothenberg from practicing law for about two years - the same length as his federal probation period. The court chose suspension instead of permanently removing him from the profession (disbarment). While the court found serious problems with Rothenberg's conduct that made the situation worse, they determined these didn't warrant the harshest penalty of permanent disbarment. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling shows that professional licensing boards take criminal conduct seriously, even when it's not directly related to someone's job duties. Workers in licensed professions (lawyers, doctors, accountants, etc.) should understand that criminal convictions - even for tax issues - can affect their ability to work in their chosen field. However, the case also demonstrates that professional consequences don't always mean permanent career destruction, as temporary suspensions may be imposed instead of permanent license revocation.