Chris McDonough, Esq.

Chris McDonough has dedicated his career to professional ethics.  Working full time as a peace officer, Chris went to law school in the evenings and graduated with honors.  From 1989 to 2002 Chris served as Assistant Counsel to the Grievance Committee for the Tenth Judicial District.  He prosecuted grievance matters before the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department.  He briefed appeals to the New York Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. 

In January of 2003 he entered private practice, focusing exclusively on grievance defense, judicial defense, admissions, character and fitness representation, risk management, and serving as an ethics expert and resource for small and medium sized law firms throughout New York.  Chris has handled grievance matters in all 4 judicial departments and argued a number of grievance appeals before the New York Court of Appeals.  

Chris is most proud of the fact that over the course of his private practice he has been able to help students become lawyers, helped lawyers overcome difficulties, and assisted suspended or disbarred lawyers returning to their careers.  

Throughout his career he has devoted much of his time to educating lawyers and law students.  He has taught ethics as an adjunct professor in law school, created and presented hundreds of continuing legal education courses for bar associations, Lawline, and other private providers.  He has written dozens of articles for law reviews, the New York Law Journal, and numerous bar associations journals. 

He has served on the Nassau Academy of Law and the Committee on Professional Ethics for the Nassau County Bar Association, and the Ethics Committee for the New York State Bar Association.  

He is an avid scuba diver, hunter, fingerstyle blues guitarist and holds expert rank in 3 traditional Japanese martial arts.