Case Title: Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Johnson

Citation: 2002-Ohio-642

Docket Number: 20011579

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 2002-01-30T00:00:00Z

Document:
[Cite as Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Johnson, 94 Ohio St.3d 220, 2002-Ohio-642.] 
 
 
CLEVELAND BAR ASSOCIATION v. JOHNSON. 
[Cite as Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Johnson (2002), 94 Ohio St.3d 220.] 
Attorneys at law — Misconduct — Indefinite suspension — Neglect of an 
entrusted legal matter — Prejudicing or damaging client during course 
of professional relationship — Engaging in conduct involving 
dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation — Neglecting or refusing 
to assist or testify in a disciplinary investigation or hearing. 
(No. 01-1579 — Submitted October 16, 2001 — Decided January 30, 2002.) 
ON CERTIFIED REPORT by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and 
Discipline of the Supreme Court, No. 00-62. 
__________________ 
 
Per Curiam.  On August 14, 2000, relator, Cleveland Bar Association, 
filed a complaint charging respondent, Thomas L. Johnson of Cleveland, Ohio, 
Attorney Registration No. 0025389, with neglect of client matters.  Respondent 
failed to answer, and the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline 
(“board”) referred relator’s amended motion for default to Master Commissioner 
Harry W. White for ruling. 
 
Based upon the allegations of the complaint and the evidence attached to 
the motion, the master commissioner found that DeCalvin Lynch hired respondent 
in 1994 to pursue a medical malpractice claim.  Although respondent filed the 
complaint in January 1996, after having obtained an extension of the statute of 
limitations, he did not respond to the defendants’ discovery requests or their 
motion to compel.  Thereafter, respondent did not appear at a case management 
conference. After the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court granted the motion 
to compel, respondent did not comply.  Nor did he appear at a pretrial scheduled 
by the court.  He did attend a rescheduled pretrial but did not provide an expert’s 
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report by the date set by the court.  When the defendants filed motions for 
summary judgment, respondent voluntarily dismissed the case without the consent 
of Lynch and did not inform Lynch of the dismissal until nearly a year and a half 
later. 
 
The master commissioner concluded that respondent’s neglect of the 
Lynch case violated DR 6-101(A)(3) (a lawyer shall not neglect an entrusted legal 
matter), 7-101(A)(3) (a lawyer shall not prejudice or damage his client in the 
course of the professional relationship), and 1-102(A)(4) (a lawyer shall not 
engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation).  The 
master commissioner also noted that respondent did not file an answer to relator’s 
complaint, after having been given additional time to do so, and concluded that 
respondent also violated Gov.Bar R. V(4)(G) (no attorney shall neglect or refuse 
to assist or testify in an investigation or hearing).  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 that respondent be indefinitely suspended from the practice 
of law in Ohio. 
 
Upon review of the record, we adopt the findings, conclusions, and 
recommendation of the board.  Respondent is hereby indefinitely suspended from 
the practice of law in Ohio.  Costs are taxed to respondent. 
Judgment accordingly. 
 
MOYER, C.J., DOUGLAS, RESNICK, F.E. SWEENEY, PFEIFER, COOK and 
LUNDBERG STRATTON, JJ., concur. 
__________________ 
 
Frank R. Osborne and Nicholas M. Miller, for relator. 
__________________