Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has had his law license suspended in Washington D.C. after being found guilty of lying about his drug use to obtain a firearm. The DC Court of Appeals issued an order on Tuesday, immediately suspending Hunter Biden from practicing law in the nation’s capital. This decision comes two weeks after his conviction on June 11.
The DC Bar’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel had previously filed a notice seeking to suspend Hunter Biden’s law license, citing the seriousness of his crimes. According to the bar association’s rules, members are prohibited from committing felonies or engaging in offenses involving false swearing, misrepresentation, or fraud. Prior to his conviction, Hunter Biden was considered a member in good standing of the district bar, having graduated from Yale Law School.
The DC Court of Appeals has also called on the DC Bar’s Board on Professional Responsibility to initiate a formal proceeding to determine the nature of the offense and whether it involves moral turpitude. Hunter Biden’s legal team has filed paperwork seeking a new trial, following a similar filing earlier this month that was subsequently withdrawn without explanation.
Although Hunter Biden has not actively practiced law in Washington D.C. in recent years, he held an “of counsel” position at the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP during his father’s vice presidency. His law license in Connecticut is currently under administrative suspension for failure to pay a reinstatement fee.
Hunter Biden, who currently resides in California, is awaiting sentencing in the firearm case, which is expected to take place in the fall. He faces a potential maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and fines of up to approximately $750,000. However, as a first-time offender, his penalty is anticipated to be lower. Additionally, he is scheduled to stand trial in Los Angeles on September 5 for a nine-count indictment related to tax evasion charges totaling around $1.4 million between 2016 and 2019. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
