Sherman v. Statewide Grievance Committee, No. Cv02 0513693 S (Feb. 19, 2003)

**What Happened:** An attorney appealed a disciplinary decision by the Statewide Grievance Committee. The attorney had been reprimanded for not properly handling the end of their relationship with a client. Specifically, the attorney failed to take reasonable steps to protect the client's interests when their professional relationship ended. **What the Court Decided:** The court sided with the Statewide Grievance Committee and upheld the reprimand against the attorney. The court agreed that the attorney had acted improperly by not safeguarding their client's interests during the termination of their working relationship. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This ruling reinforces important protections for people who hire attorneys. It establishes that lawyers have clear obligations to their clients even when ending their professional relationship. Workers can expect that if they hire an attorney, that lawyer must take proper steps to protect their interests if the relationship ends - whether due to completion of work, firing, or other circumstances. This provides reassurance that there are consequences when attorneys fail to meet their professional responsibilities to the people they serve.