Title: IN THE MATTER OF THE REINSTATEMENT OF: MONTGOMERY

State: oklahoma

Issuer: Oklahoma Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE MATTER OF THE REINSTATEMENT OF: MONTGOMERY  IN THE MATTER OF THE REINSTATEMENT OF: MONTGOMERY 2010 OK 71 Case Number: SCBD-5600 Decided: 10/12/2010 THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA NOTICE: THIS OPINION HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE PERMANENT LAW REPORTS. UNTIL RELEASED, IT IS SUBJECT TO REVISION OR WITHDRAWAL. IN THE MATTER OF THE REINSTATEMENT OF: CHARLA REITER MONTGOMERY, TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION AND TO THE ROLL OF ATTORNEYS PROCEEDING FOR REINSTATEMENT TO THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION ¶0 Attorney seeks reinstatement to the Oklahoma Bar Association following her suspension from the practice of law on September 18, 2000 for nonpayment of dues and noncompliance with Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. At that time, she was not under investigation for any ethical violation and has not otherwise been disciplined or disbarred. Petitioner was admitted to practice in 1995 and practiced law in Oklahoma for ten months before leaving Oklahoma. REINSTATEMENT GRANTED COSTS AND PAYMENT OF DUES AND PENALTIES IMPOSED Charla Reither Montgomery, Dallas, Texas, Pro Se. Loraine Dillinder Farabow, First Assistant General Counsel, Oklahoma Bar Association, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for Respondent. HARGRAVE, J. ¶1 Petitioner, Charla Reither Montgomery, was admitted to the Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA) in September 1995. Petitioner practiced law in the State of Oklahoma for ten months. In 1996, Petitioner moved from the State of Oklahoma to Fort Worth, Texas. Montgomery was later employed by Affiliated Computer Services (ACS). She is currently employed by Sterling Commerce in Irving, Texas. Her employment has consisted of being senior contract negotiator, and later as supervisor and senior manager in the software licensing department. ¶2 Evidence presented before the Professional Responsibility Tribunal showed that her job duties required her to draft and negotiate complex agreements. Her employment also required her to negotiate contract terms and details with contract administrators, negotiators, and managers of other companies. She has managed a group of negotiators and managed contract assignments. She reviewed contracts to determine if they were in compliance with corporate business and legal policies, and also worked on contract language and helped with open issues. She conducted some legal research, but reported to attorney supervisors for guidance and for legal opinions on legal issues. The fully negotiated contracts would be sent to attorneys in the companies for approval. Montgomery's work involved following the policies of the company, leaving legal issues to be resolved by attorneys. Testimony presented at the hearing showed that Petitioner did not handle legal issues. ¶3 Petitioner was stricken from the roll of attorneys of the Oklahoma Bar Association for nonpayment of dues and noncompliance with Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. Evidence was presented at the hearing before the Professional Responsibility Tribunal that she was experiencing family issues at the time and she put herself and her legal career on the back-burner and failed to do what was necessary to maintain her licence. Montgomery has never been disbarred from the Oklahoma Bar Association or any other state or federal bar, and has not resigned pending investigation or disciplinary proceedings from the Oklahoma Bar Association or any other state or federal bar. ¶4 Petitioner has not had any involvement with the Client's Security Fund of the Oklahoma Bar Association. Petitioner also provided evidence as to the good moral character necessary to be admitted to the Oklahoma Bar Association as an active member, and she provided evidence that she is current in her Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. The PRT unanimously found that Montgomery had met the prerequisites for reinstatement by clear and convincing evidence, and the Oklahoma Bar Association has asked that we accept that recommendation. ¶5 This Court exercises original and exclusive jurisdiction in bar reinstatement proceedings. In re Reinstatement of Brown, ¶6 Rule 11.5 of the RGDP requires the PRT to make specific findings regarding (1) "[w]hether or not an applicant possesses the good moral character which would entitle him to be admitted to the Oklahoma Bar Association," (2) "[w]hether or not an applicant has engaged in the unauthorized practice of law during the period of suspension," and (3) "[w]hether or not an applicant possesses the competency and learning in the law required for admission to practice law in the State of Oklahoma." ¶7 In the present matter, Montgomery met the first requirement by testimony presented before the Professional Responsibility Tribunal by three separate witnesses who testified as to her competency and her moral character. She has not been shown to have committed any crimes and it is apparent that she has been, at all times, an upstanding member of the community.