PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Richard A. Pacia, who abruptly resigned as president of the Rhode Island Bar Association last month, has turned in his license to practice and shut his Pawtucket law office.

He "has resigned from the Rhode Island bar. He submitted his resignation to the (state) Supreme Court and he's no longer practicing law," according to Anthony M. Traini, a criminal defense lawyer Pacia has hired to represent him. Pacia has not been charged with any criminal offenses and Traini, in an interview earlier this week, declined to say why Pacia has hired him. The Supreme Court's disciplinary counsel, David Curtin, would not comment when asked if he is investigating Pacia for ethics violations.

Pacia himself has declined all requests for interviews since he stepped down as bar president.

Pacia has a number of lawsuits against him that either accuse him of legal malpractice or of failure to repay loans. He is awash in debt. There are federal tax liens on his house in North Providence and some of the investment properties he bought with borrowed money have been foreclosed on. He has been behind on paying property taxes as well.