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NEWS AUGUST 31, 2020 ¦ 7

Disgruntled Clients File
Complaints Amid Pandemic

By Robert Storace

It took a global pandemic to slow down
the flow of complaints against attor-
neys in Connecticut.
Connecticut’s Statewide Grievance
Committee usually fields about 800 com-
plaints about lawyers in a given year, but
2020 has been anything but typical.
Statewide Bar counsel Michael Bowler
said his office processed 310 complaints
from January through July, with about
140 of those landing at the height of the
coronavirus outbreak from mid-March
through July 30. Hartford Superior Court

It’s not clear if COVID-19 and the resulting gov- the complaint,” Bowler said Monday. “We have not
ernment shutdowns are to blame for the drop-off, had any issue with that message, as the public un-
but Bowler’s office is in line for a sharp decline in derstands the effect of the pandemic.”
ethics complaints this year. Bowler called the pandemic “a statewide frustra-
Courts and other affiliated agencies are still work- tion, and not special to my office. The Judicial Branch
ing at reduced capacity, but Bowler said attorneys has done everything in its power to meet the needs
and complainants should know that the Statewide of the public while keeping its employees safe.”
Grievance Committee is making progress on the Bowler said his office’s 14 employees are slowly
complaints leveled against attorneys. getting back to work, telecommuting on Mondays
The office, he said, has made up for lost time and and Fridays. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thurs-
is almost up to speed, with little backlog, as it heads days about three to seven employees go into the
into September. Bowler estimates there are upward office to open mail, make deposits, review overdrafts
of 25 pending complaints from August. Most of the and other financial investigations, and since July 1,
complaints typically allege a lack of diligence and process complaints.
communication. “Backlogged complaints, though, are limited to
“We have about three weeks of backlogged com- Wednesdays,” Bowler said. “I had estimated that
plaints to process, which I anticipate will be done by it would take the office until early fall at the earli-
Labor Day,” he said. est to eliminate the backlog, but Patti Routhier, our
Meanwhile, grievance panels are taking the next administrative services coordinator, accomplished
step, investigating the 140 processed complaints, approximately 85% of this task in one month. It was
pursuant to the rules of the state’s Practice Book, a Herculean effort.”
Bowler said. They’re also managing expectations, ¦

alerting parties to potential delays. Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
“We send a written acknowledgment to the com- analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
plainant and respondent and inform them that due him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
to the pandemic, there will be a delay in processing 203-437-5950.

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