Case Title: Matter of Ayres

Citation: 

Docket Number: 306, 2002

State: delaware

Court: Delaware Supreme Court

Date: 2002-07-08T00:00:00Z

Document:
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
IN THE MATTER OF A MEMBER 
OF THE BAR OF THE SUPREME 
COURT OF THE STATE OF 
DELAWARE: 
 
CAROLINE PATRICIA AYRES,  
 
              Respondent 
§ 
§ 
§  No. 306, 2002 
§ 
§  Board Case Nos. 12,17,38,39, 
§                           and 55, 2001 
§ 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted: June 17, 2002 
 
 
 
 
  Decided:   July 8, 2002 
 
Before VEASEY, Chief Justice, BERGER and STEELE, Justices 
 
 
Upon Review of the Report of the Board on Professional Responsibility.  
Violations Affirmed.  Suspension Imposed. 
 
 
Barry W. Meekins of Brown, Shiels, Beauregard & Chasanov, Dover, 
Delaware, for Respondent. 
 
 
Andrea L. Rocanelli, Wilmington, Delaware for the Office of Disciplinary 
Counsel. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Per Curiam: 
 
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This is a lawyer disciplinary hearing.  The Office of Disciplinary Counsel 
(“ODC”) filed a petition for discipline against the respondent, Caroline Patricia 
Ayres (“Respondent”), alleging numerous violations of Respondent’s professional 
duties, including: failing to pay various federal, state and local taxes between 1994 
and 2000; filing inaccurate Certificates of Compliance with the Delaware Supreme 
Court; providing the ODC and its auditors with false and misleading information; 
engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice; and failing to 
fulfill numerous professional obligations to several of her clients.    
 
On April 10, 2002, a panel of the Board on Professional Responsibility (the 
“Board”) held a hearing to determine the appropriate sanction to recommend to 
this Court.  The Respondent testified and counsel for the ODC and Respondent 
offered argument in support of a Stipulation of Admitted Facts and Violations and 
Joint Recommendation of Sanctions (the “Stipulation”).  On May 30, 2002, the 
Board filed a report with this Court accepting the facts recited in the Stipulation 
and recommending a 3-year suspension.   
 
In the Stipulation, the Respondent specifically admits that she: falsely 
represented to the Delaware Supreme Court, in her Certificates of Compliance 
filed between 1996 and 2000, that she had timely filed and paid all federal, state 
and local payroll, gross receipts and income taxes; concealed her failure to pay 
various federal, state and local taxes from the ODC and its auditor; failed to 
 
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provide to the ODC the documentation necessary for an audit required as a 
condition of a private admonition issued in October 2001; with respect to one 
client, failed to provide competent representation, failed to act with reasonable 
diligence and promptness, failed to keep the client reasonably informed, failed to 
hold unearned fees in a trust account, failed to keep the client’s property separate 
from her property, failed to take steps to protect the client’s interest, and engaged 
in deceit and misrepresentation; with respect to another client, failed to act with 
reasonable diligence and promptness and failed to protect the client’s interests 
upon withdrawal from representation; and, with respect to two other clients, failed 
to act with reasonable diligence and promptness.  In connection with the conduct 
outlined above, Respondent admitted to violating Rules 1.1, 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.5(f), 
1.15(a), 1.15(b), 1.16(d), 8.1(a), 8.4(c), and 8.4(d) of the Rules of Professional 
Conduct and Rule 7(c) of the Rules of Disciplinary Procedure.1  
 
The Court has considered this matter carefully.  We find the Board’s 
recommendation of a 3-year suspension to be appropriate in light of the presence 
of the following aggravating factors: a substantial prior disciplinary record; a 
pattern of misconduct; multiple violations; and engaging in deceptive practices 
                                                          
 
1The ODC agreed to dismiss several counts included in the petition for discipline, subject to an 
agreement with Respondent that the counts would be filed with the Board and reinstated in a 
renewed petition should Respondent violate the terms of the Stipulation. 
 
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during the disciplinary process.  We, therefore, accept the Board’s findings and 
recommendation for discipline. 
Conclusion 
 
The Board’s report and recommendation is hereby ACCEPTED and is 
attached hereto.  Ayres shall be suspended from the practice of law for a period of 
3 years beginning on the date of this Opinion and ending upon her reinstatement, 
for which application may be made on or after July 8, 2005. 
 
During the period of suspension, Ayres shall conduct no act directly or 
indirectly constituting the practice of law, including the sharing or receipt of any 
legal fees.  Ayres also shall be prohibited from having any contact with clients or 
prospective clients or witnesses or prospective witnesses when acting as a 
paralegal, legal assistant, or law clerk under the supervision of a member of the 
Delaware Bar. 
 
Ayres shall comply with the notification requirements of Rules 21 and 23 of 
the Delaware Lawyers’ Rules of Disciplinary Procedure. 
 
Ayres shall pay the costs of these disciplinary proceedings. 
 
This matter is hereby CLOSED.  The ODC shall disseminate this Opinion in 
accordance with Rule 14 of the Delaware Lawyers’ Rules of Disciplinary 
Procedure.