PORTLAND — A local attorney has been ordered to oversee Saco Attorney Gary Prolman’s practice as Prolman serves a three-month extension on a suspension of practice of law stemming from a 2017 complaint of misconduct from a client.

The three month suspension will be added on to the six month suspension he served in 2018. During the three months, attorney Neal Weinstein of Old Orchard Beach will oversee Prolman’s law practice.

The suspension was related to Prolman’s conduct with a client who had been living with Prolman after her “dangerous, abusive” boyfriend assaulted her and broke her nose, according to court documents by Associate Justice Donald Alexander.

Prolman offered her an apartment above his U.S. Route 1, Saco, law office, but did not disclose to her support team that he would be living in the apartment.

Prolman was aware of his client’s history, which included being submissive to men and vulnerable to abusive physical and sexual relationships, wrote Alexander.

Prolman helped the client buy a cell phone and get a job at a local restaurant, according to court documents.

On more than one occasion, Prolman approached his client seeking sexual gratification and engaged in sexual acts with her, according to Alexander.

“While she did not consent, she also did not object to Prolman’s sexual acts, simply submitting to what Prolman demanded — ‘I went along with it’ — as she had done in past relationships with men who had taken advantage of her vulnerabilities,” wrote Alexander.
Prolman provided the woman alcoholic beverages, which may have caused her to have her probation revoked, according to Alexander.

Prolman also admitted to drinking alcoholic beverages, which violated his own probation. Prolman was sentenced in 2014 by a federal judge to two years in prison for laundering $177,500 of drug proceeds. He resumed practicing in 2016 upon his release.

Prolman violated rules of the bar when he failed to “render candid advice” by not telling the client and her support team that he would be living in the apartment, said Alexander. He also violated the rules of the bar when he placed his own personal interest over his client’s, said Alexander.

In 2018, The Board of Overseers of the Bar filed an appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s decision, stating that a six month disbarment was too lenient.

Earlier this year, on July 8, the Maine Supreme Court ordered that Prolman be sentenced to two years disbarment, with nine months suspended and six months already served.

Alexander on Sept. 18 granted  Weinstein as overseer of Prolman’s practice, beginning Oct. 1 when the three month extension of Prolman’s suspension is set to begin.

As overseer of Prolman’s practice, Weinstein will assume responsibility for Prolman’s law office, secure files and funds, have authority over the law firm’s bank accounts and have access to the Prolman’s work computer files and office mail.

Weinstein will serve as Prolman’s receiver on a pro bono basis, but if there are sufficient assets from

Prolman’s law practice, he may be reimbursed from those assets and will document his hours worked and submit the records to court.

Weinstein will act as a receiver until discharged by the court.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 780-9015 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.

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