Editor’s Note: Law Week Colorado edits court opinion summaries for style and, when necessary, length.
In January 2023, Pennsylvania-licensed attorney Katherine Carrara called D.K., an individual involved in the insurance business who was engaged in various feuds with neighbors in Aurora, Colorado. Carrara said she represented his neighbors, asked if he had a lawyer and told him she was meeting with his neighbors that afternoon. After that telephone conversation, D.K. called the police because he felt threatened.
Soon after the call, Carrara emailed D.K. at his professional email address. The message contained vague threats related to the state licensing board, social media and D.K.’s employer. She sent the email from a “[email protected]” email address, which identifies “Carrara Law” as the sender. Minutes later, Carrara sent D.K. a second message from the same email account asserting she would be meeting with D.K.’s neighbors to make a video for social media.
D.K. forwarded these emails to his lawyer and told the officer responding to the 911 call about them. The officer spoke to D.K. and one of D.K.’s neighbors but found no elements of a crime. After reviewing Carrara’s emails, D.K.’s lawyer emailed her and asked if she represented either of D.K.’s neighbors. She said she wasn’t representing the neighbors but was representing herself.
A minute later, Carrara emailed D.K.’s lawyer again, reiterating that she represented herself and planned to post stories about D.K. D.K.’s lawyer asked why she was acting on behalf of D.K.’s neighbors if she was representing herself. Carrara said she was not representing D.K.’s neighbors but was looking to post something to social media about “busting local bullies.”
D.K.’s lawyer asked Carrara if she is licensed to practice law in Colorado. She said she was. When he requested her attorney registration number, she responded: “365 practice pending admission.” But Carrara isn’t licensed to practice law in Colorado and doesn’t have a Colorado attorney registration number. Nor has she applied to practice pending admission.
The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved Carrara’s stipulation to discipline and publicly censured her, effective May 10.