Whelan's Case

On November 15,1990, the Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct (committee) filed a petition to impose a thirty-day suspension from the practice of law on the respondent, Dennis J. Whelan. The petition and the respondent’s answer were referred to a Judicial Referee (Maher, J.) pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 37(13)(e). The referee held a hearing and filed a report containing findings of fact and rulings of law. While the committee alleged that the respondent violated four Rules of Professional Conduct (Rules), the referee determined that there were only two violations. The committee…