State supreme court suspends Pendleton attorney for professional misconduct

IL file photo

The Indiana Supreme Court has suspended a Pendleton attorney from the practice of law for at least a year, after his failure to report a drunk driving conviction led the court’s disciplinary commission to open a complaint against him.

Dean McConnell, with the firm Dean McConnell IP Law, can petition for reinstatement to the practice at the conclusion of his suspension, provided that he fulfills the duties of a suspended attorney.

McConnell did not respond to Indiana Lawyer’s request for comment before Friday’s deadline.

According to court records, in February 2023, McConnell was convicted in Anderson City Court of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

He failed to report this conviction to the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission and in March 2024, the commission opened a verified disciplinary complaint against him.

McConnell also failed to appear for pretrial and final hearings in the case.

He has prior convictions for OWI and public intoxication.

McConnell is currently suspended for noncooperation in a separate case. A bench trial for that case is scheduled for April 2025.

He allegedly failed to cooperate with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission’s investigation of a grievance against him.

On Sept. 17, the high court ordered McConnell to show cause as to why he shouldn’t be immediately suspended from the practice for failing to cooperate with the commission’s investigation of a grievance filed against him.

Indiana Lawyer previously reported that, in February 2023, McConnell was convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, stemming from a May 2022 arrest and given 355 days of probation. As a condition of probation, he was required to show enrollment in a substance abuse treatment program, and his license was suspended for a year.

According to the Indiana Roll of Attorneys, McConnell was admitted to the bar in November 1997.