Case Title: Office of Disciplinary Counsel v. Lichtenberg

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: hawaii

Court: Hawaii Supreme Court

Date: 2005-12-20T00:00:00Z

Document:
No. 27543
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAI'I

OFFICE OF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL, Petitioner,

vs. 2
ANDREW L, LICHTENBERG, Respondent. 3
+
-166-81 ae
(ove 04166-8146) 4 °
QBDER OF DISBARMENT a &
(By: Moon, C.J., Levinson, Nakayama, Acoba, and buffy, JJ.)

upon consideration of (1) the Disciplinary Board of the
Hawai'i Supreme Court's (Disciplinary Board) October 12, 2008
report and recommendation to disbar Respondent Andrew Lew
Lichtenberg (Respondent Lichtenberg) and order Respondent
Lichtenberg to pay restitution in the amount of $347,800.00 and
(2) the record, we adopt the Disciplinary Board’s findings and
conclusions. In sum, Respondent Lichtenberg misappropriated
Ellen R. Hyman’s $1,800.00 retainer, and misappropriated
$373,000.00 from the sale of Ms. Hyman’s rea estate interest.
Respondent Lichtenberg’s misappropriation and other misconduct
violated multiple provisions of the following Hawai'i Rules of
Professional Conduct (HRFC):

+ HRPC Rule 1.2(a) (requiring that a lawyer shall abide
by a client’s decisions concerning the objectives of
representation)

  

+ HRPC Rule 1.4(a) (requiring that a lawyer shall keep a
client reasonably informed about the status of a
matter);

+ HRPC Rule 1.4(b) (requiring that a lawyer shall explain
a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit
the client to make informed decisions regarding the
representation);

aa
RPC Rule 1.7(b) (requiring that a lawyer shall not
represent a client if the representation of that client
may be materially limited by the lawyer’s own
interests)

HREC Rule 1.15(a) (1) (requiring that every lawyer in
private practice in the State of Hawai'i who receives
or handles client fund shall maintain a client trust
account into which all funds entrusted to the lawyer's
care shall be deposited) ;

HREC Rule 1.15(b) (requiring that each client trust
account check shall be prominently labeled “client
trust account”);

RPC Rule 1.15(b) (requiring that client trust account
checks shall bear preprinted consecutive numbers);
HREC Rule 1.15(c) (prohibiting a lawyer from
misappropriating a client's funds to his or her own use
and benefit);

RPC Rule 1.15(c) (requiring that funds belonging in
party to a client and in part presently or potentially
to the lawyer must be deposited into the client trust
account):

RPC Rule 1.15(d) (requiring that all funds entrusted
to a lawyer shall be deposited intact into a client
trust account);

 

HRPC Rule 1,15(d) (requiring that all fee retainers
shall be maintained in a client trust account until
earned);

HRPC Rule 1.15(e) (requiring that all client trust
account withdrawals shall be made only by authorized
bank transfer or by check made payable to a named payee
and not to cash);

HRPC Rule 1.15(f) (4) (requiring that a lawyer shall
promptly pay or deliver to the client, as requested by
the client, the funds, securities, or other properties
in the possession of the lawyer which the client is
entitled to receive);

HRPC Rule 1.16(d) (requiring that, upon termination of
representation, a lawyer shall take steps to the extend
reasonably practicable to protect a client’s interests,
such as surrendering papers and property to which the

 

2
client ig entitled and refunding any advance payment of
fee that has not been earned)

+ HRPC Rule &.4(a) (providing that it is professional
misconduct for lawyer to violate the rules of
professional conduct); and

+ HRPC Rule 8.4(c) (providing that it is professional
misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct involving
dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation).

In Light of Respondent Lichtenberg’s egregious ethics violations,
we adopt the Disciplinary Board’s report and recommendation to
disbar Respondent Lichtenberg, and we order Respondent
Lichtenberg to pay restitution in the corrected amount of
$374,800.00. Therefore,

IT 1S HEREBY ORDERED that Respondent Andrew Lew
Lichtenberg (attorney number 7850) is disbarred from the practice
of law in Hawai'i, effective inmediately. It is further ordered
Respondent Andrew Lew Lichtenberg (attorney number 7850) shall
pay restitution in the corrected amount of $374,800.00 to Ellen
R. Hyman.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Petitioner Office of
Disciplinary Counsel (Petitioner ODC) shall notify the
appropriate law enforcement authorities of Respondent
Lichtenberg’s misconduct. Petitioner ODC shall make all of the
records from Respondent Lichtenberg’s disciplinary matter
available to law enforcement authorities.

DATED: Honolulu, Hawai'i, December 20, 2005.

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Ses tee brie er

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