Case Title: Cuyahoga Cty. Bar Assn. v. Lawrence

Citation: 2003-Ohio-6450

Docket Number: 20031516

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 2003-12-24T00:00:00Z

Document:
[Cite as Cuyahoga Cty. Bar Assn. v. Lawrence, 101 Ohio St.3d 4, 2003-Ohio-6450.] 
 
 
CUYAHOGA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION v. LAWRENCE. 
[Cite as Cuyahoga Cty. Bar Assn. v. Lawrence, 101 Ohio St.3d 4, 2003-Ohio-
6450.] 
Attorneys at law — Misconduct — Indefinite suspension — Engaging in conduct 
involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation — Engaging in 
conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice — Engaging in 
conduct adversely reflecting on fitness to practice law — Failing to 
promptly notify client of receipt of funds or other properties — Failing to 
maintain complete records of client funds and to render appropriate 
accounts to clients regarding them — Failing to promptly pay or deliver 
client funds upon request — Neglecting an entrusted legal matter — 
Failing to seek lawful objectives of client — Failing to carry out 
employment contract — Failing to cooperate in disciplinary 
investigation — Prior disciplinary suspension. 
(No. 2003-1516 — Submitted October 20, 2003 — Decided December 24, 2003.) 
ON CERTIFIED REPORT by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and 
Discipline of the Supreme Court, No. 03-15. 
__________________ 
 
Per Curiam. 
{¶1} 
In July 1995, we suspended respondent, David Lawrence of 
Euclid, Ohio, Attorney Registration No. 0015293, from the practice of law in 
Ohio for one year.  Disciplinary Counsel v. Lawrence (1995), 72 Ohio St.3d 420, 
650 N.E.2d 867.  We reinstated respondent to the practice of law in Ohio in 
August 1996.  Disciplinary Counsel v. Lawrence (1996), 76 Ohio St.3d 1222, 668 
N.E.2d 921. 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
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{¶2} 
In August 1997, a client retained respondent to oversee the 
administration of an estate in probate court.  Respondent forged the client’s name 
on the fiduciary’s final account for the estate and never provided a settlement 
statement upon the sale of estate property or an appropriate accounting of the 
estate. 
{¶3} 
In July 1998, another client retained respondent to represent him in 
a personal-injury action arising out of an automobile accident.  The client 
provided copies of his medical bills relating to the accident to respondent, but 
respondent failed to submit the bills to the client’s insurance company.  
Respondent also failed to file a personal-injury complaint.  As a result of 
respondent’s misconduct, collection agencies secured judgments against the 
client, he lost his driver’s license, and he and his wife were forced to file for 
bankruptcy.  For the most part, respondent failed to cooperate with the 
investigation by relator, Cuyahoga County Bar Association, of the grievances 
filed by his clients concerning these matters. 
{¶4} 
In February 2003, relator filed an amended complaint charging 
respondent with violating numerous Disciplinary Rules and a Rule for the 
Government of the Bar.  Respondent failed to answer the amended complaint, and 
the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline of the Supreme Court 
referred the cause to a master commissioner pursuant to Gov.Bar R. V(6)(F)(2) to 
review relator’s motion for default judgment. 
{¶5} 
The master commissioner found the facts as previously set forth 
and concluded that respondent’s conduct regarding his estate client violated DR 
1-102(A)(4) (engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or 
misrepresentation), 1-102(A)(5) (engaging in conduct prejudicial to the 
administration of justice), 1-102(A)(6) (engaging in conduct adversely reflecting 
on lawyer’s fitness to practice law), 9-102(B)(1) (failing to promptly notify client 
of receipt of funds or other properties), 9-102(B)(3) (failing to maintain complete 
January Term, 2003 
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records of client funds and to render appropriate accounts to clients regarding 
them), and 9-102(B)(4) (failing to promptly pay or deliver client funds upon 
request).  The master commissioner found that the record did not support a 
finding that respondent misappropriated his estate client’s funds. 
{¶6} 
The master commissioner concluded that respondent’s conduct 
regarding his personal-injury client violated DR 1-102(A)(5) and (6), 6-101(A)(3) 
(neglecting an entrusted legal matter), 7-101(A)(1) (failing to seek lawful 
objectives of client), and 7-101(A)(2) (failing to carry out employment contract).  
The master commissioner further concluded that respondent’s conduct regarding 
relator’s investigation of his clients’ grievances violated Gov.Bar R. V(4)(G) 
(failing to cooperate in the disciplinary process). 
{¶7} 
The master commissioner recommended that respondent be 
indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in Ohio.  The board adopted the 
findings, conclusions, and recommendation of the master commissioner and 
further recommended that the costs of the proceedings be taxed to respondent.   
  
{¶8} 
We adopt the findings, conclusions, and recommendation of the 
board.  Relator argued that respondent’s conduct warranted disbarment, which is 
the “presumptive sanction for misappropriation of client funds.”  Lorain Cty. Bar 
Assn. v. Fernandez, 99 Ohio St.3d 426, 2003-Ohio-4078, 793 N.E.2d 434, ¶ 9.  
But as the board found, the record failed to establish that respondent 
misappropriated client funds.  Instead, respondent’s “ ‘[n]eglect of legal matters 
and a failure to cooperate in the ensuing disciplinary investigation * * * warrant 
an indefinite suspension from the practice of law in Ohio.’ ”  Cleveland Bar Assn. 
v. Judge (2002), 94 Ohio St.3d 331, 332, 763 N.E.2d 114, quoting Akron Bar 
Assn. v. Snyder (1999), 87 Ohio St.3d 211, 212, 718 N.E.2d 1271; cf. Disciplinary 
Counsel v. Papcke (2000), 88 Ohio St.3d 161, 724 N.E.2d 407 (attorney convicted 
of forgery indefinitely suspended from practice of law). 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
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{¶9} 
Accordingly, we hereby indefinitely suspend respondent from the 
practice of law in Ohio.  Costs are taxed to respondent. 
Judgment accordingly. 
 
MOYER, C.J., RESNICK, F.E. SWEENEY, PFEIFER, LUNDBERG STRATTON, 
O’CONNOR and O’DONNELL, JJ., concur. 
__________________ 
 
Robert I. Chernett and Jonathan D. Rosen, for relator. 
__________________