Case Title: Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Young

Citation: 2001-Ohio-201

Docket Number: 20010370

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 2001-07-18T00:00:00Z

Document:
[Cite as Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Young, 92 Ohio St.3d 417, 2001-Ohio-201.] 
 
 
 
CLEVELAND BAR ASSOCIATION v. YOUNG. 
[Cite as Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Young (2001), 92 Ohio St.3d 417.] 
Attorneys at law — Misconduct — Permanent disbarment — Continued and 
pervasive neglect of clients’ interests — Neglect or refusal to assist in or 
testify at disciplinary investigation or hearing. 
(No. 01-370 — Submitted April 2, 2001 — Decided July 18, 2001.) 
ON CERTIFIED REPORT by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline 
of the Supreme Court, No. 00-68. 
__________________ 
 
Per Curiam.  On August 14, 2000, relator, Cleveland Bar Association, filed a 
complaint charging respondent, Leonard Young of Cleveland, Ohio, Attorney 
Registration No. 0023715, with several violations of the Code of Professional 
Conduct based on respondent’s continued and pervasive neglect of his clients’ 
interests.  Although service was made at respondent’s last known address, respondent 
did not file an answer.  The relator then filed a motion for default, which was referred 
by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline (“board”) to Master 
Commissioner Harry W. White. 
 
Based upon the affidavits attached to the complaint, the master commissioner 
found that in October 1998, respondent had resigned as executor of the estate of Effie 
Jones but had failed to turn over the funds of the estate to the successor fiduciary.  
The Cuyahoga County Probate Court discovered that respondent had withdrawn 
$8,606.96 from the estate and retained possession of various items of personal 
property.  It found respondent guilty of concealment of assets and rendered a 
judgment against respondent in the amount of  $12,756.97. 
 
The commissioner also found that after respondent had been removed as 
administrator of the estate of Helen Howard, the successor fiduciary discovered a 
cash shortage of  $11,204.04, representing money respondent had withdrawn and 
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paid to himself.  The court entered judgment against respondent for $13,441.14, 
which included expenses and legal fees. 
 
Also, after the Cuyahoga County Probate Court removed respondent as 
guardian of Ralph White, an incompetent, for failure to file accounts, it entered 
judgment against respondent for $36,650 for unauthorized cash withdrawals from 
White’s estate. 
 
The commissioner also found that having been employed by Katherine 
Nelson in 1996 to file an accident claim against the transit authority, respondent took 
no action and failed to respond to her inquiries.  Nor did respondent take any action 
to probate the estate of  Nelson’s mother after Nelson paid him $200.  Nelson has 
since been advised that the statute of limitations has expired on her accident claim.  
Although he received a retainer of $750 from Farris Blount to probate the estate of 
his sister, respondent took no action.  Nor did respondent deposit into the sister’s 
account or return to Blount a check for $4,925.64.  Also, respondent failed to sell a 
vehicle for Blount after Blount engaged him to do so and gave him title to the truck. 
 
Clyde Davis retained respondent to obtain reimbursement for his medical 
bills resulting from an automobile accident.  Davis gave respondent the bills and the 
records and thereafter could not contact him.  Respondent also failed to file a 
bankruptcy for Michael Payton after being paid $660 for that purpose, and after 
receiving $2,500 from Payton, he failed to incorporate and manage a business for 
him. 
 
The master commissioner noted that respondent had refused to answer or 
communicate with relator with respect to its investigation of these grievances.  The 
commissioner concluded that respondent’s conduct violated DR 6-101(A)(3) (a 
lawyer shall not neglect an entrusted legal matter), 7-101(A)(2) (a lawyer shall not 
fail to carry out a contract for professional employment), 1-102(A)(6) (a lawyer shall 
not engage in conduct adversely reflecting on the lawyer’s ability to practice law 
[cited as 1-102(A)(4)]), 1-102(A)(5) (a lawyer shall not engage in conduct prejudicial 
to the administration of justice), 9-102(B)(4) and (5) (sic) (a lawyer shall promptly 
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deliver to the client funds or property to which the client is entitled), and Gov.Bar R. 
V(4)(G) (no attorney shall neglect or refuse to assist or testify in an investigation or 
hearing).  For his continued deceitful conduct and disregard for client matters, the 
master commissioner recommended that respondent be permanently disbarred from 
the practice of law.  The board adopted the findings, conclusions, and 
recommendation of the master commissioner. 
 
The record in this case reveals respondent’s callous indifference to his clients’ 
interests and to the standards of professional ethics required of a member of the bar.  
We adopt the findings, conclusions, and recommendation of the board.  Respondent 
is hereby permanently disbarred from the practice of law in Ohio. 
Judgment accordingly. 
 
MOYER, C.J., DOUGLAS, RESNICK, F.E. SWEENEY, PFEIFER, COOK and 
LUNDBERG STRATTON, JJ., concur. 
__________________ 
 
Douglas N. Barr and Jennifer A. Lesny Fleming, for relator. 
__________________