Hunter Biden lost his law license in Connecticut on Monday after a judge ruled he violated state attorney conduct rules tied to his federal gun and tax convictions, which were pardoned by his father in December.
Biden, who was admitted to the Connecticut bar in 1997 after graduating from Yale Law School, appeared by video before Judge Trial Referee Patrick L. Carroll III in Waterbury. The disbarment marks the second state where Biden has been barred from practicing law.
The Connecticut Ruling
The judge determined Biden engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation, violations of Connecticut’s ethical rules for attorneys. The ruling also cited Biden’s prior disbarred status in Washington, D.C. as partial grounds for the decision.
Biden reached an agreement with Connecticut’s attorney discipline agency in which he admitted to certain misconduct allegations while contesting others. Paul Dorsey, one of two people who filed complaints against Biden, objected to the settlement, stating that Biden did not admit to committing crimes.
The Underlying Convictions
Biden was convicted in Delaware in 2018 on three felony counts related to purchasing a firearm while falsely stating on a federal form that he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. He faced up to 25 years in prison, though legal experts said a first-time offender would likely receive a significantly lighter sentence or avoid incarceration.
In September 2024, Biden pleaded guilty to misdemeanor and felony tax charges. Former President Joe Biden issued a broad pardon covering conduct over an 11-year period in December, which led U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika to formally close the Delaware case, though the conviction itself was not vacated.
Previous License Surrender
Biden voluntarily surrendered his law license in Washington, D.C. in April following his criminal record. The District of Columbia Bar’s Board on Professional Responsibility accepted the surrender, which avoided extended disciplinary proceedings over whether his prior criminal cases required mandatory disbarred status.