The State Bar Association of North Dakota Fall 2015 Gavel Magazine | Page 11

• Whether respondent had ever received threats or been the victim of violence • Types of threats and/or violence • Number of threats received • Whether threats and/or violence occurred while employed in public or private practice • Locations where threats occurred • Association between threats and assaults • Relationship with perpetrator • Whether incidents were reported to the police • When threat and/or violence last occurred • Change in conduct • Demographic information For the purposes of the Survey, a “threat” was defined as: “A written or verbal intention to physically hurt or punish another, and/or a written or verbal indication of impending physical danger or harm.” In October 2014, the North Dakota legal profession consisted of 1,663 in-state attorneys. The Survey received a total of 243 responses, representing 14.6 percent of all registered in-state attorneys. The following summarizes the responses of attorneys of the North Dakota legal profession who responded that they have been the recipients of violence and/or threats of violence. Threats and Acts of Physical Violence • Oral threat of assault and assaulted while trying to protect my client from physical attack. • [An upset client] grabbed my neck and squeezed my neck and shoulders, but let go almost immediately. Left my office and slammed my office door behind her. • I was hit on the head once by a defendant – she suffered from mental illness. • A criminal defendant … got angry during a court proceeding and threw a microphone during a court hearing, and it struck my arm. • Client threatened to kill me and my family. • Somebody tried to kill me with a knife . . . outside my law office…. • Opposing party lunged at me right after a • • • • hearing…. [S]cissor[s] held up to face coupled with threatening words…. I have been assaulted by individuals at administrative hearings, one of whom literally jumped over a table and attempted to choke me while calling me an “agent of the Devil.” [A] criminal defendant pulled a handgun out of his pants after a guilty verdict and attempted to shoot me, the sheriff, and the jury. [A]n opposing male spouse or somebody under his direction shot a gun at my buildings and hit a different window on four different occasions throughout a 1-1/2 year divorce action. ndlaw.com Recognized Know-How I N Y O U R O W N B A C K YA R D The Survey’s primary question asked attorneys if, while serving as a member of the legal profession, they had ever been the recipient of a threat or had been the victim of a violent act. Of the 243 responses to this question, 113 (46.5 percent) of the respondents reported that they had been threatened and/or physically assaulted at least once. Put our expertise to work for your clients. Our Respondents to the Survey provided more than 100 examples of work-related threats and violence perpetrated against them. Some examples of the more egregious threats and violence reported by members of the North Dakota legal profession include: O U R L AW Y E R S • A gun was pointed at me at a mediation. • Another child beat my child with a crowbar because I prosecuted that child’s mom for a bad check. lawyers hone their legal skills in specific areas, Local People, Trusted Solutions allowing us to serve you better. Contact us to complement your current practice, or to serve your clients in areas that you do not practice. When you need a referral, choose a firm that is recommended by its clients and peers alike. Paul Ebeltoft - Randall Sickler - Jennifer Grosz Nathan Bouray - Courtney Presthus Nicholas Grant - Peter Morowski Our lawyers are licensed in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska and Texas. OUR PRACTICE AREAS Business Solutions Mineral And Environmental Litigation Solutions Alternatives to Litigation Real Estate Personal Planning 2272 8th Street West - Dickinson, ND - 701.225.LAWS (5297) Organizational Consultants FALL 2015 11