IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA

IN THE MATTER OF DISCIPLINE OF THOMAS S. SHADDIX, BAR NO. 7905 No. 84263 

# FIL

ORDER OFSUSPENSION This is an automatic review ofa Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board hearing panel's recommendation that this court revoke attorney Thomas S. Shaddix's disciplinary probation and impose the stayed sixmonth-and-one-day suspension based on his failure to comply with probation conditions. Shaddix has filed a brief challenging the panel's recommendation, the State Bar has filed a response, and Shaddix has filed a reply. On May 14, 2021, this court approved Shaddix's conditional guiltyplea andimposeda stayed six-month-and-one-day suspension subject to an 18-month probationary period for violating RPC 1.3 (diligence), RPC 1.4 (communication), RPC 1.15 (safekeeping property), RPC 5.3 (responsibilities regarding non-lawyer assistants), and RPC 8.1 (disciplinarymatters). The stayed suspension wasconditionedon Shaddix's compliance with probation terms, which included conditions that he obtain a mentor and provide quarterly reports and engage in binding fee dispute resolution with a specified client within 90 days ofthe May 14 disciplinary order.

SUPREME COURT

OF NEVADA (0i 1947A c(1 

# n-7M19In the proceedings below, Shaddix admitted that he did not

obtain a mentor and did not participate in binding fee dispute arbitration. Despite this, Shaddix argues that we should not impose the stayed suspension for two reasons. First, he argues that the panel chair made a statementbefore anyevidencewaspresented showingthat he alreadymade up his mind regardingthe proceedingand which "poison[ed]the well" ofthe other panel members. But the panel chair made this statement in response to Shaddix's oral request for a continuance ofthe disciplinary proceedings. As such, we disagree with Shaddix that this statement prejudiced Shaddix or potentially impacted the hearingpanel's ultimate recommendation.

Second, Shaddix argues that the panel's recommendation is too harsh under the totality ofcircumstances. In this, he asserts that he could not find a mentor and insinuates that he did not need one because he was not practicing law and that the fee dispute did not meet the minimum jurisdictional requirementsfor that program. But Shaddix testified that he stillhad one active case and that he contacted only three attorneysto act as his mentor. Moreover, he did not even attempt to engage in fee dispute resolution. Under these facts, and considering that Shaddix agreed to the discipline andprobation conditionsinhisconditional guiltyplea agreement, we conclude that the stayed suspension should be imposed.1

Accordingly, we revoke Shaddix's probation and suspend him for sixmonths and one daycommencingfromthedateofthisorder. Shaddix shall pay the actual costs of the disciplinary proceedings within 30 days

1Based on this, we need not address Shaddix's failure to fully pay the costs ofthe 2021 disciplinary proceeding.

SUPREME COURT

OF NEVADA (01 IV17A 2J. Stiglich

J. Herndon

cc: Law Office ofThomas S. Shaddix Chair, Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board Bar Counsel, State Bar ofNevada Executive Director, State Bar ofNevada Admissions Office, U.S. Supreme Court from the date of this order. SCR 120. The parties shall comply with SCR 115 and SCR 121.1.

It is so ORDERED.

J. Silver
Pickering

3 CLA-A Parraguirre C J , • •

J. Hardesty

SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA
101 1q47A J.