In his petition, he stated that the term of suspension in his two disciplinary cases expired on March 27, 2019 and that he is now eligible for reinstatement to practice law.
Woodruff also stated that he took the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination or MPRE on Aug. 19, 2019 and obtained a score of 92.
MPRE is a 120-minute, 60-question, multiple-choice examination designed to measure the knowledge and understanding of established standards related to a lawyer’s professional conduct.
Following a period of probation, Woodruff said he was restored to unrestricted practice of law in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Nov. 12, 2020.
In his petition, he included three declarations of legal colleagues: Robert M. Hatch, Joseph E. Horey and the former attorney general of Hawaii, Margery S. Bronster.
Bronster represented the NMI Retirement Fund members in a class action against the CNMI government that resulted in a settlement creating the Settlement Fund. Woodruff was the local counsel in the representation of the retirees in that lawsuit.
In 2018, Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona, designated Judges Robert C. Naraja and Teresa Kim-Tenorio imposed sanctions on Woodruff, similar to the same order by designated Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood on March 28, 2017 disbarring him from the practice of law in the district court for one year.
Woodruff was accused of ethical violations of model rules of professional conduct in representing a client in a civil case.
According to the complaint against Woodruff, he missed the deadline for filing his client’s opening brief without having requested an extension of time, and he also failed to follow up effectively on transcript requests with the district court reporter.
On June 7, 2013, Woodruff was disbarred by the CNMI Superior Court. The disbarment order was affirmed by the CNMI Supreme Court on Dec. 9, 2015.
On Dec. 24, 2015, the District Court for the NMI issued a notice of intent to impose reciprocal discipline and order to show cause, and set a reciprocal-discipline hearing for Jan. 22, 2016.
On Feb. 10, 2016 Woodruff filed a notice notifying the federal court of his intention to file a petition for certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court.
When the federal court became aware that no petition had ever been filed, it lifted its stay on reciprocal discipline proceedings and found that reciprocal discipline was warranted. The federal court disbarred Woodruff from practicing law in the district on March 9, 2018.
