NH Guardian Ad Litem Board Finds That Attorney And GAL Lenora Bohem Violated GAL Rules – Six Month Suspension Issued

Our blog received an email that NH Attorney and Guardian Ad Litem Lenora Bohem was suspended by the GAL Board for misconduct.  In looking into the matter we found the following which is an excerpt from the GAL report.  The whole report can be viewed by clicking on Boehm-Lenora-sept2010. 

The Board has found that Ms. Boehm has violated Gal 503.16 (a) by failing to disclose disciplinary actions imposed by the NH Supreme Court’s Professional Conduct Committee in her application and supporting affidavit.

Gal 503.01(e) provides “The board shall find that extenuating circumstances exist if it determines that:

(1) Imposing sanctions would not assist the person in conforming his or her future conduct to the requirements of these rules or other applicable law.

(2) The purposes that would be served by imposing sanctions have been fully fulfilled;

(3) The absence of imposing sanctions would be unlikely to pose a risk of harm to the interests or

welfare of any recipient of services or potential recipient of services; and

(4) The reasons supporting the decision not to impose sanctions outweigh any adverse impact on general deterrence or on public perception that may arise from the absence of sanctions.

The Board finds that extenuating circumstances exist pursuant to Gal 503.01(e) in that, although Ms. Boehm made false statements to the Board in her application (Gal 402.03(b)(2)b, Ms. Boehm, in her testimony, reflected true remorse for her behavior, and an understanding of the significance of her wrong-doing. She did not attempt to place the blame on others or to make excuses for herself. Furthermore, she has been suspended from the practice of law for in excess of six months. The Board has taken these factors into consideration in issuing its order.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED

1. Lenora Boehm’s certification as a Guardian ad Litem is suspended for a period of 6 months from the date of this order, pursuant to Gal 402.01(a)(2)

2. a fine of $500 is imposed on Lenora Boehm pursuant to Gal 402.01(a)(6), and

3. Ms. Boehm shall notify all courts in which she is, or may hereafter be appointed as a

guardian ad litem during the imposition of the suspension, copying all parties, of the Board’s order pursuant 503.16 (c).

In addition, read the Decision and Order from the GAL Board dated May 4, 2011

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