Even though the respondent-attorney informed his client and the client’s grandfather (who was paying respondent’s retainer) that no action would be taken on the client’s post-conviction relief matter until respondent’s fee was paid in full, respondent’s duties to provide competent ...
Read More »Attorneys – Discipline – Diligence – Fee Payment – Conflict of Interest
Attorneys – Discipline – Definite Suspension – Diligence & Communication 
Respondent took retainers from clients but then failed to act diligently on their behalf, to communicate with them, to respond to their demands for their files and refunds, or to respond to disciplinary actions against him. Respondent violated Rules 1.1 ...
Read More »Attorneys – Tort/Negligence – Legal Malpractice – Civil Practice – Statute of Limitations – First Impression 
The South Carolina Supreme Court has not specifically enumerated the acts of an accused attorney in a legal malpractice action that would constitute an extraordinary event justifying equitable tolling. Nevertheless, although the plaintiff-estate’s decedent, Keith Wellin, expressed confusion over a ...
Read More »Attorneys Discipline – Definite Suspension – Administrative Suspension – Depression 
Given the respondent-attorney’s administrative suspension for failure to comply with continuing legal education requirements; his failure to seek reinstatement; his failure to communicate with clients (or to tell them he couldn’t communicate with them because of his suspension); his failure ...
Read More »Attorneys Law firm challenges use of ‘filter team’ to review its files 
Where a district court allowed a government “filter team” to review privileged attorney-client documents unrelated to the investigation of lawyer A and client A, it was in error because it assigned judicial functions to the filter team and failed to ...
Read More »Attorneys Discipline – Suspension – Disciplinary History 
The respondent-attorney has received three past letters of caution and one deferred discipline agreement. In the incident involving the deferred discipline agreement, respondent failed to diligently pursue a client’s workers’ compensation matter and failed to adequately communicate with the client ...
Read More »Attorneys Unauthorized Practice of Law – Disbarred Lawyer – Federal Practice 
Where (1) respondent is no longer licensed to practice law in any state, (2) he has been disbarred by the federal courts, and (3) the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Administrative Law Judges has withdrawn his authorization to practice ...
Read More »Attorneys Discipline – Retroactive Disbarment – Solicitation of a Minor 
Respondent was convicted of criminal solicitation of a minor—thereby violating Rule 8.4, RPC, Rule 407, SCACR (professional misconduct)—and has completed his period of probation. We accept the agreement for discipline by consent entered into by respondent and the Office of ...
Read More »Attorneys Discipline – Definite Suspension – Unlawful Communication – Client’s Money 
While meeting with one of her criminal clients who was in custody related to a narcotics trafficking case, the respondent-attorney instructed the client’s girlfriend to remove U.S. currency and paperwork from the bathroom of the client’s home and to take ...
Read More »Attorneys – Discipline – Definite Suspension – Diligence & Communication 
Where respondent (1) failed to pursue clients’ legal matters; (2) failed to communicate with clients, despite their repeated attempts to reach him; (3) lost clients’ important documents; (4) did not deposit unearned fees into a trust account; (5) failed ...
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