Joshua Kindred resigned from the District of Alaska bench after four years in a lifetime appointment. A Ninth Circuit Special Committee found Kindred engaged in sexual misconduct, including a sexualized relationship with a law clerk and creating a hostile work environment for others. The report noted an Assistant U.S. Attorney sent nude photographs to Kindred; the sender was later identified as Karen Vandergaw, who says she was pressured into sending the photos and continued to appear before the judge. The Alaska Bar Association's Disciplinary Board recommended disbarment for violations of three professional conduct rules. Disciplinary counsel argued the conduct warranted disbarment for dishonesty and the harmful workplace impact. Kindred has not responded to the charges, leading to their admission under Alaska law, and the findings prompted public outrage and numerous calls to bar regulators.
According to the Special Committee appointed by the Ninth Circuit to investigate ethics complaints against the judge, Kindred engaged in sexual misconduct, creating a sexualized relationship with one of his clerks and a hostile work environment for others. The report s pecifically noted an Assistant United States Attorney "with whom he had a flirtatious rapport" sent Kindred nude photographs (later identified as Karen Vandergaw, who says she was pressured into sending the judge the explicit photos), and she continued to appear before Kindred.
Yesterday, the Alaska Bar Association's Disciplinary Board adopted a recommendation to disbar Kindred for violating three of the Alaska Rules of Professional Conduct; two related to false statements during the investigation into his conduct, one related to the allegation of sexual harassment in his chambers. Alaska disciplinary counsel argued the facts "support[] disbarment from the practice of law for dishonesty and for the hostile work environment that took a personal and professional toll on multiple law clerks."
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