Case Title: Cincinnati Bar Assn. v. Roemer

Citation: 1999-Ohio-481

Docket Number: 19981794

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 1999-01-13T00:00:00Z

Document:
CINCINNATI BAR ASSOCIATION v. ROEMER. 
[Cite as Cincinnati Bar Assn. v. Roemer (1999), ___ Ohio St.3d ___.] 
Attorneys at law — Misconduct — Indefinite suspension — Neglect of clients’ 
interests — Failing to promptly return unearned retainers — Failing to 
cooperate in disciplinary investigation — Failing to keep Attorney 
Registration Office apprised of current residence and office addresses. 
(No. 98-1794 — Submitted October 28, 1998 — Decided January 13, 1999.) 
ON CERTIFIED REPORT by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and 
Discipline of the Supreme Court, No. 97-97. 
 
In 1994, respondent, Douglas A. Roemer of Charlotte, North Carolina, 
Attorney Registration No. 0064106, was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio. 
On December 8, 1997, relator, Cincinnati Bar Association, filed a two-count 
complaint charging that respondent accepted retainers from clients in 1996 but 
failed either to perform the necessary work or to return or account for the retainers.  
Relator further charged that respondent did not cooperate in the investigation of 
these clients’ grievances.  Respondent submitted a letter in response to the 
complaint in which he stated that in January 1997, he quit practicing law because 
of his frustration “with the profession itself, the clients, and many of [his] 
counterparts.”  Respondent also stated that while he may never practice law in 
Ohio again, he still valued his membership in the Ohio Bar.  Respondent waived 
his right to a hearing, and the parties submitted the matter on joint stipulations of 
fact to a panel of the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline of the 
Supreme Court (“board”). 
 
The panel found that in August 1996, respondent worked at the law office 
of T. Jeffrey Corcoran & Associates.  On August 30, 1996, Shirley M. Stull 
employed respondent to represent her in a bankruptcy matter and paid him $200 of 
 
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a quoted total fee of $450.  Stull later paid respondent an additional $175.  After 
being unable to contact respondent by telephone for several months, Stull reached 
respondent at his home in January 1997. Respondent, who had left his 
employment with the law office, informed Stull that he was unable to represent her 
in the bankruptcy matter because he had never been admitted to practice in the 
federal court and was unable to obtain a pro hac vice admission.  Respondent 
promised but failed to refund $325 of the retainer to Stull. 
 
In addition, the panel found that in July 1996, respondent represented 
Rachel Knepp in an action against Knepp’s employer.  Respondent later requested 
and received $300 from Knepp that he stated was for six hours of work.  In 
November 1996, respondent advised Knepp by letter that he was withdrawing 
from the case because he lacked sufficient experience to handle it.  After several 
unsuccessful attempts to contact respondent to request that he return her 
documents, she eventually reached him at his North Carolina address after the post 
office provided her with the forwarding address.  In October 1997, respondent 
returned Knepp’s documents to her.  Respondent, however, did not account for or 
return the $300 retainer fee he had received from Knepp. 
 
The panel also found that relator made several unsuccessful attempts to 
contact respondent concerning these grievances because respondent had failed to 
notify the Attorney Registration Office of the Supreme Court of his change of 
address.  When relator finally contacted respondent at his North Carolina address, 
respondent failed to provide written responses to the grievances in a timely 
fashion as he had twice assured relator. 
 
In mitigation, respondent stated in his response to the complaint that he 
would gladly return any money to his clients and that his failure to do so resulted 
from poor record keeping. 
 
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The panel concluded that by his conduct, respondent committed two 
violations of DR 6-101(A)(1) (handling a legal matter which he knows or should 
know that he is not competent to handle), two violations of DR 6-101(A)(3) 
(neglecting a legal matter entrusted to him), two violations of DR 7-101(A)(1) 
(failing to seek the lawful objectives of his client), two violations of DR 9-
102(B)(3) (failing to render appropriate accounts to his client), two violations of 
DR 9-102(B)(4) (failing to promptly pay or deliver to his client, as requested, 
funds or properties in his possession which his client is entitled to receive), a 
violation of Gov.Bar R. V(4)(G) (failing to cooperate in a disciplinary 
investigation), and a violation of Gov.Bar R. VI(1)(D) (failing to keep the 
Attorney Registration Office apprised of his current residence and office 
addresses).  The panel recommended that respondent be indefinitely suspended 
from the practice of law and that his readmission be conditioned upon his making 
full restitution to Stull and Knepp. 
 
The board adopted the findings, conclusions, and recommendation of the 
panel. 
__________________ 
 
Anita S. Cross and James J. Condit, for relator. 
 
Douglas A. Roemer, pro se. 
__________________ 
 
Per Curiam.  We adopt the findings, conclusions, and recommendation of 
the board.  Respondent’s neglect of his clients’ interests, his failure to promptly 
return unearned retainers, and his disregard of the disciplinary investigation 
warrant an indefinite suspension from the practice of law in Ohio.  Cf. 
Disciplinary Counsel v. Boykin (1998), 82 Ohio St.3d 100, 694 N.E.2d 899; 
Mahoning Cty. Bar Assn. v. Daniels (1998), 82 Ohio St.3d 5, 693 N.E.2d 764.  
 
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Respondent is hereby indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in Ohio with 
his reinstatement conditioned upon his making full restitution with interest at the 
judgment rate to Stull and Knepp of the retainers he received.  Costs are taxed to 
respondent. 
Judgment accordingly. 
 
MOYER, C.J., DOUGLAS, RESNICK, F.E. SWEENEY, PFEIFER, COOK and 
LUNDBERG STRATTON, JJ., concur.