Consequence of Attorney Knowing That Solicitation of Clients Was Wrong but Continued to Engage In the Conduct

In Florida Bar v. Stafford, 542 So. 2d 1321 (Fla. 1989), the attorney admitted knowing that his solicitation of clients was wrong, but he continued to engage in the conduct anyway. This Court imposed a six-month suspension (rather than the referee's recommendation of a ninety-day suspension to be followed by a three-year probationary period), finding that the attorney's "blatant disregard of the prohibition against solicitation and his deliberate engagement in unethical fee splitting dictate the imposition of greater discipline." Id.