Case Title: Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Fox

Citation: 1996-Ohio-250

Docket Number: 19952536

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 1996-02-28T00:00:00Z

Document:
Cleveland Bar Association v. Fox. 
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[Cite as Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Fox (1996), _____ Ohio St.3d _____.) 
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Attorneys at law -- Misconduct -- Indefinite suspension -- Failure to 
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preserve client’s secrets or confidences -- Acceptance of 
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employment in which lawyer’s own interest may impair 
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professional judgment on behalf of client -- Continuing multiple 
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employment where independent judgment on any client’s 
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behalf may be adversely affected, without client’s consent 
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after full disclosure -- Failure to cooperate in disciplinary 
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investigation. 
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(No. 95-2536--Submitted January 24, 1996--Decided February 28, 
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1996.) 
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ON CERTIFIED REPORT by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances 
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and Discipline of the Supreme Court, No. 94-54. 
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Relator, Cleveland Bar Association, filed a complaint with the Board 
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of Commissioners on the Grievances and Discipline of the Supreme Court 
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(“board”), charging respondent, Norman A. Fox, last known address in 
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Fairview Park, Ohio, Attorney Registration No. 0013014, with violations of 
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DR 4-101(B)(2) (failure to preserve client’s secrets or confidences), 5-101 
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(acceptance of employment in which lawyer’s own interest may impair 
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professional judgment on behalf of client), and 5-105(B) (continuing 
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multiple employment where independent judgment on any client’s behalf 
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may be adversely affected, without client’s consent after full disclosure), 
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and Gov.Bar R. V(4)(G) (duty to cooperate in investigation of alleged 
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misconduct).  The board served the complaint by certified mail at 
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respondent’s last known address, but respondent did not answer.  A panel 
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appointed by the board heard the matter on relator’s motion for default, filed 
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pursuant to Gov.Bar R. V(6)(F). 
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Evidence submitted to support the motion for default established that 
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Willard S. McCarley hired respondent in June 1988 to represent him in a 
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personal injury action.  McCarley had been injured in an automobile 
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accident, as had his passenger, Scott DeFabbo, whom respondent also 
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agreed to represent.  McCarley’s claim was referred to arbitration, from 
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which he received an adverse verdict and appealed in May 1990.  In June 
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1990, respondent moved to withdraw as McCarley’s counsel and, while 
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continuing to represent DeFabbo, requested permission to file a cross-claim 
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against McCarley.  McCarley accused respondent of having used 
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information gained in confidence to advance DeFabbo’s case. 
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Evidence also established that respondent did not reply as requested 
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to relator’s June 30, 1990 correspondence or to its August 27, 1990 certified 
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letter inquiring about McCarley’s grievance.  Respondent also did not 
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respond to inquiries made by two investigators assigned by relator to look 
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into McCarley’s grievance. 
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The panel granted the motion for default and found that respondent 
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had violated DR 4-101(B)(2), 5-101, and 5-105(B), and Gov.Bar R. 
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V(4)(G).  The panel recommended that respondent receive a one-year 
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suspension from the practice of law. 
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The board agreed with the panel’s findings of misconduct, but 
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recommended that respondent’s license be suspended indefinitely due to his 
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“total failure to cooperate with the disciplinary process and in order to 
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protect the public.” 
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Ramsey, Caputo & Ramsey and Kenneth E. Ramsey; Lavelle & 
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Lavelle and Neal Lavelle, for relator. 
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Per Curiam.  Upon review of the record, we concur in the board’s 
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findings of misconduct and its recommended sanction.  Respondent is 
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hereby suspended indefinitely from the practice of law in Ohio.  Costs taxed 
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to respondent. 
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Judgment accordingly. 
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MOYER, C.J., DOUGLAS, WRIGHT, RESNICK, PFEIFER and COOK, JJ., 
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concur. 
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F.E. SWEENEY, J., not participating. 
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