Hunter Biden Loses Connecticut Law License After Ethics Ruling, Despite Presidential Pardon
Hunter Biden’s legal career suffered another decisive blow this week after a Connecticut judge formally disbarred him, concluding that he violated multiple rules governing attorney conduct. The ruling follows disciplinary complaints tied to Biden’s federal gun and tax convictions — offenses that were later pardoned in December 2024 by his father, former President Joe Biden.
According to court records, Biden agreed to the disbarment and acknowledged professional misconduct, though he did not admit to criminal wrongdoing as part of the consent agreement.
Biden appeared by video alongside his attorney, Ross Garber, before Judge Trial Referee Patrick L. Carroll III during proceedings in Waterbury, according to Newsweek.
“This marks the second jurisdiction in which Biden has lost his law license, following his voluntary decision to surrender his license to practice law in Washington, D.C., in April,” Newsweek noted. “The Connecticut disbarment effectively ends his legal career in multiple jurisdictions, demonstrating that professional consequences for attorneys persist even after criminal pardons.”
Hunter Biden was admitted to the Connecticut bar in 1997, one year after graduating from Yale Law School. Judge Carroll found that his disbarment was warranted due to violations of several ethical standards, including rules prohibiting conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
The judge also cited Biden’s earlier disbarment in Washington, D.C., as partial grounds for his ruling, Newsweek added.
The disciplinary action stems from Biden’s underlying federal convictions. In Delaware, he was found guilty on three felony counts for purchasing a firearm in 2018 while falsely stating on a federal form that he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. Although he faced a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison, legal analysts noted that as a first-time offender he likely would have received a far lighter sentence or avoided incarceration altogether.
Separately, Biden faced federal charges in California for failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. In September 2024, he agreed to plead guilty to a mix of misdemeanor and felony tax offenses shortly before jury selection was set to begin.
Former President Joe Biden issued a sweeping pardon for his son in December 2024, covering conduct over an 11-year period. Following the pardon, U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika formally closed the Delaware gun case, though the conviction itself was not vacated.
The California tax case was also dismissed after the pardon was received, despite objections from prosecutors who argued that the pardon should not erase the cases as though they had never occurred.
In Washington, D.C., Hunter Biden voluntarily surrendered his law license in April in light of his criminal record. The District of Columbia Bar’s Board on Professional Responsibility accepted the surrender, avoiding prolonged disciplinary proceedings over whether mandatory disbarment was required.
The board recommended that the D.C. Court of Appeals approve Biden’s voluntary disbarment, Newsweek reported.
In Connecticut, Biden reached an agreement with the state agency overseeing attorney discipline. Under the terms, he admitted to certain misconduct allegations outlined in court filings while disputing others.
Paul Dorsey, one of two individuals who filed complaints against Biden in Connecticut, objected to the agreement, telling the judge that he “Objected to the agreement because Hunter Biden did not admit to committing crimes.”
“With disbarment now in effect in Connecticut and voluntary surrender of his license in Washington, D.C., Biden’s ability to practice law has been permanently revoked in these jurisdictions,” the Associated Press added.
The disbarment comes amid renewed controversy surrounding Biden. Last month, he drew widespread condemnation after launching a vulgar personal attack against New York Post columnist Miranda Devine, calling her a “whore” and declaring that no one would mourn her death.
Those remarks were made during a November 6 appearance on the Wide Awake Podcast, where the former president’s son lashed out at Devine over her reporting on his infamous laptop and her years-long coverage of his foreign business dealings.