Lawyer Brothers Charged With Practicing Without a License

Wednesday, March 16, 2016 | 0

Two brothers, both licensed to practice law in Massachusetts, were charged last week with practicing law without a license in neighboring Rhode Island, the Providence Journal reported.

The attorneys are accused of practicing law in Rhode Island without a state license for 18 years.

Samuel and Carl J.S. Lovett both pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor counts during an arraignment on Friday, according to the newspaper. They are charged with practicing law without a Rhode Island license; receiving compensation for legal services while unlicensed; furnishing legal advice while unlicensed; advertising for legal services while unlicensed; and holding themselves out as qualified to practice law, the newspaper reported.

The Journal said the Lovett brothers operated their firm for 20 years out of a two-story Victorian in Providence, but recently moved their office to Seekonk, Rhode Island.

The brothers' criminal attorney, Mark Dana, told The Journal that the letterhead for the brothers' law firm clearly states that they are not licensed in Rhode Island, but some of the attorneys in their firm are. "Our position is they did not hold themselves out -- as individuals -- as licensed to practice law in Rhode Island," Dana told the newspaper.

The Lovett brothers practice of operating across state lines came to the attention of the state Supreme Court Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee after attorney David A. Cooper filed a complaint against them on behalf of a client. The committee found that the brothers had practiced law in Rhode Island without Rhode Island licenses for 18 years and forwarded the complaint to the state Attorney General's Office, the newspaper said.