So, I am rapidly approach the 4th anniversary of this blog and this is the very first time I have had a post sharing exactly the same title as an earlier post.
Interestingly (at least to me), that earlier post with that title was written on Groundhog’s Day 2 years ago. The title for this post seemed a fitting title because … well, I think it will be clear when we launch into this – but also referencing back to that older post and it having been a Groundhog’s Day themed post also is pretty appropriate because the pathological nature of the lying of this Chicago lawyer has something of a deja vu sort of feel when compared to the lying of that Michigan lawyer from the prior post.
You’ve probably already read about this story but, if not, this is your window into the story of this Chicago lawyer who has been lying off and on about having cancer for more than a decade, who has lied about having a son, and even lied about the son he never had also having the same kind of cancer that he doesn’t have but has lied about having.
The repeated lying about having leiomyosarcoma, including falsely claiming that his pretend son had the same thing, grabbed the headlines but there were at least two other karma-tempting whoppers over the years, including: Lying to his firm that he had retained an expert but that the expert couldn’t work because his daughter had been hit by a car; and lying about having to attend a funeral in Montreal to get a court extension
There really is not an awful lot I can add to the obvious reasons why this kind of tale of a lawyer going beyond the pale in terms of what they were willing to lie about, and how often they apparently were willing to lie about it, is so disturbing.
One disturbing aspect of the situation is that his lawyer, in an answer filed in the disciplinary proceedings, has said that he came up with the cancer lie because he was actually suffering from depression in 2005 and was afraid to admit to suffering from a mental illness at the time when he was applying to law school. As someone who believes strongly in the fact that our profession needs to do much better about the topic of wellness and who readily recognizes that our profession needs to do all we can to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues in our profession, I’d really like to believe that explanation and be more sympathetic, but when you lie about the really big stuff it is hard not to think that you are lying about your reason for lying.
I particularly have a hard time with achieving a sympathetic point of view after reading this piece of the pleadings in the disciplinary case about this kind of false statement made nearly 11 years after applying to law school:
64. On July 25, 2016 at 9:45 a.m. Respondent sent an email to AUSA Brock, and copied to AUSA Hancock, the following message related to Respondent’s purported reason for requesting an extension to complete discovery in the Harris case: “Yes, all went well. Thanks so much for asking. He has leiomyosarcoma, a form of stomach cancer, and had to have a small portion of his stomach and GI tract removed. It sounds terrible but apparently it is a rare but also highly treatable disease. My fiance and 1 have fostered kids on and off for the last 5 or so years. The only downside is that these incredible kids are often in this situation in the first place because they have one or more serious illnesses/conditions. I normally wouldn’t share such personal information but I really do feel so grateful for yours and Gina’s support last week and think it’s important that you know what it actually meant to me.”
Answer: Admit
65. Respondent’s statements to AUSAs Brock and Hancock, as set forth in paragraph 64, that his son’s surgery went well, that Respondent’s son had leiomyosarcoma which required surgery to remove a small portion of his stomach and GI tract, and that Respondent and his fiance [sic] had fostered children for the last five years were false.
Answer: Admit
66. Respondent knew his statements to AUSAs Brock and Hancock, that his son’s surgery went well, that Respondent’s son had leiomyosarcoma which required surgery to remove a small portion of his stomach and GI tract, and that Respondent and his fiance [sic] had fostered children for the last five years, as set forth in paragraph 64, were false because Respondent had no child or foster child, therefore no diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma, and no surgery.
Answer: Admit
But the part of this whole thing that really grabbed me by the proverbial lapels and piqued my interest was the original set of circumstances that led to the lawyer coming up with the lie that he had cancer. You see cancer was the story offered to explain to The University of Chicago Law School why this future lawyer only scored a 158 on the LSAT.
Wait for it.
I only scored 160 on the LSAT. It never dawned on me that I was even supposed to be disappointed in that result, much less that I should have tried to lie about having cancer to explain the poor performance.
But, 160 is two points higher than 158; also, I wasn’t applying to the University of Chicago Law School. So, apples and oranges I guess.
If you want to read the entirety of the latest amended disciplinary complaint against Vincenzo Field, you can get it here.