What Is the Appropriate Punishment for An Attorney Engaged In Acts of Client Neglect ?

In Florida Bar v. Provost, 323 So. 2d 578 (Fla. 1975), the attorney had engaged in acts of client neglect. However, that attorney had a disciplinary history that included a private reprimand and a suspension, which is not present here. As the Bar correctly argued before the referee, a one-year suspension is supported by existing case law and is the appropriate discipline. The Bar did not give any reason why it now believes that a two-year suspension is the appropriate punishment for Centurion's violations. While cooperation in Bar proceedings can be considered in mitigation in imposing discipline, Florida Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions 9.32(e), it should be noted that it is improper to seek a more severe punishment simply because an attorney has chosen to argue his or her case before this Court. See Florida Bar v. Marcus, 616 So. 2d 975, 978 (Fla. 1993).