In the Matter of Joel David Myers

Joel David Myers was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1998 and ran his own law firm for about a decade. In 2014 and 2015, after he failed to respond to bar grievances filed by two clients, the Supreme Court of Georgia suspended and then disbarred him. Myers later explained that undiagnosed severe depression, brought on by major life upheavals, had caused him to neglect his clients and the disciplinary proceedings against him. Years later, Myers applied for certification of fitness to return to practicing law, submitting a statement explaining his depression, his recovery, and his efforts to rebuild his life and take responsibility for his past conduct. The Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants investigated, found no outstanding public complaints or restitution owed, and recommended readmission. The Supreme Court of Georgia agreed that Myers proved his rehabilitation by clear and convincing evidence and granted his application, allowing him to be readmitted once he meets remaining requirements, including passing the Georgia Bar Exam.

The court held that Myers demonstrated, by clear and convincing evidence, that he has been rehabilitated and is fit to practice law, and it granted his application for certification of fitness, allowing readmission once he satisfies remaining bar admission requirements, including passing the Georgia Bar Examination.

The decision lets a disbarred Georgia attorney work toward returning to legal practice after proving years of rehabilitation, showing how the state's bar readmission process weighs personal accountability, mental health recovery, and public safeguards before restoring a lawyer's license.

Certification of fitness for readmission granted

1. Under the Bar Admission Rules and prior case law (In re Cason), an applicant seeking readmission after disbarment must prove rehabilitation, meaning the reestablishment of a good reputation through positive action, by clear and convincing evidence.
2. Myers submitted a statement explaining that untreated depression caused by personal upheavals contributed to his earlier misconduct, along with evidence that he later sought to make amends, rebuilt his life, and took responsibility for his past actions.
3. The Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants investigated by notifying the State Bar, local judges and attorneys, and the public, and confirmed no restitution was owed to the Client Security Fund, a state fund that reimburses clients harmed by attorney misconduct.
4. Because no objections were raised and the evidence, including letters of recommendation and Myers's own testimony, supported a finding of rehabilitation, the Fitness Board recommended readmission.
5. The Supreme Court of Georgia deferred to the Fitness Board's determination, concluding Myers met all requirements for certification of fitness, and granted his application, conditioned on his completing remaining bar admission steps, including the bar exam.

• attorney disbarment
• bar readmission
• rehabilitation
• legal ethics
• depression and law practice