There's little doubt about that, as the female client who accused Baskin of professional misconduct and malpractice also benefited from Baskin's professional service, in as much as Baskin won her a permanent and perpetual $50,000 per month alimony regardless of any change in her future marital status.
But, what apparently made her mad was that when her husband charged Baskin with adultery and other charges Baskin billed the client for the attorney hired in those proceedings to defend Baskin. However, according to Baskin, the billing was perfectly professional as the defense was essential in relation to his client's pending case and related to it, as her husband tried to create chinks in the alimony proceedings.
This year, in April, Baskin pleaded no contest to a single claim of conflict of interest and a sanction hearing followed in June. Baskin's attorney also said that the hearing panel determined that the relationship was a conflict, but found there was no injury done to Baskin's client as a result of the relationship or the conflict. As his attorney says, “There was no adultery … there was a long-term, mutually caring relationship that was not illegal in any way.”
A statement from Baskin's lawyer reads, “What is important in this case is that, after considering all of the circumstances — including Mr. Baskin's exemplary record as a lawyer and public citizen — the hearing panel has found that the perceived conflict of interest — which is all that is involved here — did not in any way injure a client who, 10 years ago as a result of Mr. Baskin's advocacy, received a record-setting divorce judgment in her favor … It is also important that the panel agreed that there will be no interruption of Mr. Baskin's fine service to the community and his clients.”
