| Case Digest |
Respondent engaged in misconduct by failing to take action to apply for and obtain admission pro hac vice to the Bar of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware in his client’s civil case, and by failing to file a response on behalf of his client to an order issued by the court in the civil case. Also, Respondent failed to respond to inquiries made by Respondent’s client and the client’s family members, or to refund the advance payment of Respondent’s fee that went unearned upon termination of the representation.
Mitigating factors in determining the discipline to impose were Respondent’s cooperation, remorse, and acknowledgement of wrongdoing. Moreover, during the period of Respondent’s misconduct Respondent was depressed and distracted due to his father’s terminal illness.
An aggravating factor was Respondent’s record of discipline, consisting of an informal admonition and a private reprimand with an eighteen-month period of probation subject to certain conditions.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court approved Joint Petition in Support of Discipline on Consent for a six-month suspension, to be stayed in its entirety, followed by probation for twelve months subject to certain conditions
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