On-Demand Video
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Attorney Discipline in Pennsylvania: Interview with Jana Palko


  • City:
  • Start Date:2022-07-11 20:00:00
  • End Date:2024-07-11 20:00:00
  • Length:
  • Level:Intermediate
  • Topics:Ethics

$79.00 ProPass

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Credit States Status Credits Earn credit until

Overview

Join Ellen C. Brotman and Amy J. Coco, two experienced ethics attorneys, as they discuss the attorney disciplinary process in Pennsylvania and review local and national developments in professional responsibility and ethics.

In this session, they interview Jana Palko, Disciplinary Counsel-in-Charge, Central Intake, Pittsburgh.

From Complaint to discipline or dismissal, explore these questions:

  • What happens when you make a Complaint or have a Complaint made against you? 
  • How are Complaints investigated? 
  • What factors determine that disciplinary action is required?
  • What advice can you give respondent’s counsel?
  • How can an attorney prevent being the subject of a complaint?

These issues and more are examined in this one-hour interview. 

All attendees will receive the course book as a digital download. A printed copy of the course book is available, at a discount to attendees, for $40. If you wish to purchase the printed version of the course book, please call PBI Customer Service at 800-932-4637.

Recorded in July 2022.

Faculty

Jana Palko Esq.

Jana Palko is Disciplinary Counsel-in-Charge, Central Intake, for the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Prior to this position, she was a Litigation Manager at Cordell & Cordell, where she represented clients in various family court matters. Prior to this position, she was a Senior Associate Attorney with the Family Legal Center, LLC., handling family court, criminal, and estate matters. She clerked for the Honorable John F. DiSalle, assisting with cases in the areas of family, criminal, and civil law. During and briefly after law school, she clerked for ODC and the late Honorable John A. Zottola. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., cum laude) and Chatham University (B.A., summa cum laude.)

Ellen C. Brotman, Esq.

Ms. Brotman is the founder of Brotman Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her practice focuses on professional responsibility, and ethics, investigations, white collar criminal defense and appellate advocacy. Ms. Brotman has represented lawyers before the Disciplinary Board of Pennsylvania for over 20 years and has defended a wide variety of white-collar crimes involving complex trial, sentencing and appellate issues. Prior to starting Brotman Law, Ms. Brotman was a partner at Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP, where she defended criminal cases in federal courts, oversaw investigations, and represented professionals in state disciplinary proceedings. From 1995 to 1998, as an assistant federal defender with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, Ms. Brotman provided criminal defense for indigent clients in federal court at trial and appellate levels. Before coming to Philadelphia, Ms. Brotman served as a law clerk to Hon. Lee P. Gagliardi, United States District Judge, Southern District of New York. Ms. Brotman is a frequent writer and speaker on the subjects of criminal defense and professional responsibility related matters. She is also a member of the board of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a past member of the board of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Ms. Brotman sits on the Professional Guidance Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association and the Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Ms. Brotman has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America and Pennsylvania SuperLawyers for over ten years and, in 2014 was one of the Legal Intelligencer’s Women of the Year. Ms. Brotman is Chair of the Board of the People’s Emergency Center Foundation in Philadelphia, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of homeless families.

Amy J. Coco, Esq.

Amy Coco is a shareholder at the Pittsburgh law firm of DiBella Weinheimer, where she has focused her practice on Professional Responsibility for more than 30 years. She represents lawyers, judges, and law students in matters involving ethics, licensure, professional responsibility, risk management, and law practice management counseling. Amy is the current President of the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA) and previously served six years on its Board of Governors. Within the ACBA, she has chaired the Nominating Committee and By-Laws Committee, the Professional Ethics Committee (where she continues to serve as a Duty Officer), and the Lawyers Insurance Committee. She has also served on the Council of the Solo and Small Firm Section and chaired subcommittees within the Women in the Law Division. At the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), Amy is Co-Chair of the Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee. She served as the PBA’s Woman At Large Governor (2021–2024) and chaired its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Team from 2022 to 2024. She is also the Director of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law’s Incubator Program, mentoring lawyers as they establish solo practices. In addition, she is a member of the Washington County, Philadelphia County Bar Associations, as well as the American Bar Association and its Center for Professional Responsibility and the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers (APRL). A frequent lecturer and writer on professional liability, diversity and inclusion, and ethics issues, Amy has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law since 2024 and has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer annually since 2018. In 2022, she was recognized as one of Pittsburgh’s Top 50 Lawyers. She earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1994, and her B.A. in Journalism from Indiana University Bloomington in 1989.


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