People v. William Ryan Finn. 21PDJ021. April 19, 2021. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved the parties’ conditional admission of misconduct and suspended William Ryan Finn (attorney registration number 51171) for six months, with three months to be served and three months to be stayed upon the successful completion of a twenty-two month period of probation, with conditions, to run concurrent to Finn’s discipline in case number 20PDJ052. The suspension took effect on April 19, 2021.
In 2019, Finn’s previous employer filed a disciplinary complaint against Finn for dishonest conduct, which was ultimately sanctioned in case number 20PDJ052. The employer terminated Finn’s position with the firm. During an interview with another firm in December 2019, a senior partner asked Finn why he left his previous position. Finn did not disclose that he had been fired. In January 2020, Finn received from disciplinary authorities the request for investigation submitted by his former employer. When Finn began working with the new firm later that month, he completed and signed an application form for the firm’s professional liability insurance policy. The form directed Finn to state whether a disciplinary investigation or complaint was pending against him. Finn answered “no,” despite having received the request for investigation from disciplinary authorities. In September 2020, Finn disclosed to his employer for the first time that he had been the subject of a disciplinary investigation when he started working for the firm. He also disclosed at that time that he had entered a stipulation with disciplinary authorities suspending him from the practice of law.
Through this conduct, Finn violated Colo. RPC 8.4(c) (a lawyer shall not engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation).
The case file is public per C.R.C.P. 251.31.