In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: Oc to b e r 6 , 2 0 1 4

S 1 4 Y1 4 1 3 . IN THE MATTER OF ROBERT ANTHONY Mc DONALD.

S 1 4 Y1 4 1 4 . IN THE MATTER OF ROBERT ANTHONY Mc DONALD.

S 1 4 Y1 4 1 5 . IN THE MATTER OF ROBERT ANTHONY Mc DONALD.

S 1 4 Y1 4 1 6 . IN THE MATTER OF ROBERT ANTHONY Mc DONALD.

P ER CURIAM.

Th e se d isc i p l i n a r y m a tte rs a re b e fo re th e Co u rt o n fo u r N o tic e s o f

Disc ip lin e file d b y th e S ta te Ba r a ga in st Re sp o n de n t Ro b e rt An th o n y Mc Do n a ld

(S ta te Ba r No

. 4 8 9 5 7 9 ). Ea c h n o tic e c h a rg e d M c Do n a ld with vio la tin g m u ltip le

ru le s se t o u t in o f th e Ge o rg ia Ru le s o f P ro fe s sio n a l Co n d u c t, se e Ba r Ru le 4

-

1 0 2 (d ). Th e S ta te Ba r se e k s Mc Do n a ld ’s d isb a rm e n t a n d we a g re e th a t

d isb a rm e n t is th e a

p p ro p ria te d isc ip lin e in th e se c a se s.

Mc Do n a ld

, wh o o n ly p ro v id e d a po st o ffic e b o x a d d re ss to th e S ta te Ba r’s

Me m b e rsh ip De p a rtm e n t, fa ile d to a c k n o wle dg e se rv ic e with in twe n ty d a y s o f

th e No tic e s o f D i s c ip lin e h a v in g b e e n m a ile d to h is p o st o ffic e b o x

.

Ac c o rd in g ly

, h e w a s p ro p e rly se rv e d b y p u b lic a tio n p u rsu a n t to Ba r Ru le 4 -2 0 3

(b ) (3 ) (ii). He fa ile d to file No tic e s o f Re je c tio n a n d th e re fo re is in de fa u lt, ha sn o rig h t to a n e v id e n tia ry h e a rin g

, an d is su b je c t to s u c h d isc ip lin e a s m a y b e

d e te rmi n e d by th is Co u rt, se e Ba r Ru le 4 -2 08

. 1 (b ). Mc Do n a ld h a s b e e n o n

in te rim su sp e nsio n sin c e Ja n u a ry 2 0 1 4

.

S 1 4 Y 1 4 1 3

By v irt u e o f his d e fa

u lt, Mc Do n a ld a d m its th a t a c lie n t re ta in e d h im in

Ma y 2 0 1 0

, to re p re se n t h e r re g a rd in g a n a u to m o b ile a c c i d e n t th a t o c c u rre d in

M a y 2 0 1 0

, in wh ic h sh e su ffe re d in ju rie s. Mc Do n a ld h a d m i n i ma l

c o m m u nic a tio n with th e c lie n t d u rin g th e fo l lo win g two y e a rs, b u t file d a n

a c tio n o n h e r be h a lf in Ma y 2 0 1 2

. Alth o u g h th e c lie n t m a de re p e a te d e ffo rts to

c o m m u nic a te with Mc Do n a ld b y te le ph o n e

, e -m a il, a nd c e rtifie d m a il, his p h o n e

w a s d isc o n n e c te d

, h is e -m a il in o p e ra tiv e

, a n d c e rtifie d m a il wa s re tu rn e d a s

u n c la im e d

. Th e c lie n t’s c a se a p p e a re d o n a d e fa u lt c a le n d a r in Ja n u a ry 2 0 1 3 b u t

wh e n M c Do n a ld d id no t a p p e a r, th e c a se wa s dism isse d fo r wa n t o f p ro se c u tio n

.

In Ma rc h 2 0 1 3

, th e c lie n t se n t Mc Do n a ld a le tte r e x p re ssin g h e r d issa tisfa c tio n

with h is fa ilu re to c o m m

un ic a te a n d de m a n d in g in fo rm a tio n a b o u t th e sta tu s o f

h e r c a se

. Wh e n Mc Do n a ld fa i l e d t o re sp o nd

, th e c lie n t file d a g rie v a n c e

. In

Ap ril 20 1 3

, sh e a c c e p te d a se ttle m e n t d ire c tly fro m th e in su re r. Mc D o n a ld d id

n o t re sp o n d to th e In ve stig a tiv e P a n e l in th is m a tte r. Th e Ba r su b m its th a t th is

2c o n d u c t v io la te s Ru le s 1 .2 (a ), 1 .3 , 1 .4 , l.l6 a nd 9 .3

.

S 1 4 Y 1 4 1 4

By v irtu e o f h is d e fa ult, Mc Do n a ld a dm its th a t a c lie n t re t a in e d h im in

2 0 0 7 to re p re se n t h e r re g a rd in g a n a u to m o bile a c c id e n t in wh ic h sh e su f f e r e d

in ju rie s. Mc Do n a ld h a d m in im a l c o m m un ic a tio n w ith th e c lie n t d u rin g th e n e x t

two y e a rs a

n d in 2 0 0 9

, h e a d v ise d h e r th a t th e d e fe n d a n t w a s in a c tiv e m ilita ry

se rv ic e a n d th a t sh e th e re fo re c o u ld n o t p ro c e e d with h e r su it u n til he re tu rn e d

.

In Ma y 2 0 0 9

, M c Do na ld to ld th e c lie n t th a t h e wa s filin g h e r a c t i o n s i n c e th e

sta tu te of lim ita tio n s wo u ld e x p ire so o n

, b ut th a t h e wa s u na b le to re a c h th e

d e fe n d a n t’s c o m m a n d in g o ffic e r, a n d th a t th e in su re r wo uld no t re tu rn h is c a lls.

To a ssist in filin g h e r c om p la in t, th e c lie n t p ro v id e d M c Do n a ld with th e o rig in a l

d o c u m e nts c o n c e rn in g a ll o f h e r m e d ic a l re c o rd s a n d e x p e n se s. La te r in 2 0 0 9

a n d th ro u g h o u t 2 0 10

, th e c lie n t re p e a te d ly a tte m p te d to c o n ta c t Mc Do na ld

. At

th e tim e

, th e c lie nt wa s su ffe rin g fin a n c ia l d iffic ultie s a n d n e e de d to se ttle h e r

c a se

. Th e c lie nt ha d o c c a sio n a l c o n ta c t with Mc Do n a ld ’s wife

, w h o wa s a n

a c q u a in ta n c e

, a

n d w h o to ld t h e c lie n t th a t h e r c a se sh ou ld b e c o m p le te d b y

S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 2. T h e c lie n t c o n tin u e d he r e ffo rts to c on ta c t M c Do n a ld

, a n d

a lth ou g h h is se c re ta ry f

i n a l l y sc h e d u le d a n a

p po in tm e n t in S e p te m

b e r 2 0 1 2

,

3Mc Do n a ld su b se q u e ntly c a n c e l l e d it. In Oc to b e r 2 0 1 2

, Mc Do n a ld re sp o n d e d

to a te x t m e ssa g e

, a ssu rin g th e c lie n t th a t h e wo u ld p ro v id e h e r c a se in fo rm a tio n

to h e r b a n k ru ptc y a tto rn e y

, b ut h e fa ile d to d o so

. In De c e m b e r 2 0 1 2

, th e c lie n t

d e liv e re d a le tte r to M c Do na ld ’s se c re ta ry e xp re ssin g he r d issa tisfa c tio n a n d

re q u e stin g h e r c o m

p le te file so th a t sh e c o u ld re ta in a n o th e r a tto rn e y

. Afte r still

n o t re c e iv in g a n y re sp o n se

, th e c lie n t c h e c k e d th e c o u rt’s file in Ja n u a ry 2 0 1 3

,

a n d le a rn e d th a t Mc D o n a ld h a d v o lu n ta rily d ism isse d he r c a se in Ma y 2 0 1 0 a n d

th a t th e c o u rt h a d e nte re d a n o rd e r in Oc to b e r 2 0 0 9 , re q u irin g h e r to p a y $ 5 5 0

in a t t o r n e y fe e s a s a sa n c tio n fo r Mc Do na ld ’s fa ilu re to re sp on d to d isc o v e ry

.

In F e bru a ry 2 0 1 3

, th e c lie nt su b m itte d an o th e r writte n re q u e st fo r h e r e n tire file

,

b u t h a s h a d n o re sp o n se fro m Mc Do n a ld

. Mc Do n a ld a lso ha s n o t re sp o n d e d to

th e In v e stig a tiv e P a n e l in th is m a tte r. T h e B a r su b m its th a t th is c o n d u c t v io la te s

Ru le s 1

. 2 (a ), 1 .3 , 1 .4 , l.l6 , 3 .2 , 8 .4 (a ) (4 ), a n d 9

. 3

.

S 1 4 Y 1 4 1 5

By v i r t u e o f h is d e fa ult, Mc Do n a ld a d m its th a t in Ju ly 2 0 1 2

, h e wa s

re ta in e d to re p re se n t a d e fe n d a n t in a c rim in a l m a tte r p e nd in g in th e S ta te Co urt

o f Do u gla s Co u n ty

. Mc D o n a ld file d a n e n try o f a p p e a ra n c e a n d wa iv e r o f

a rra ig nm e n t on be h a lf o f t h e c l i e n t bu t th e n ha d n o c o m m u n ic a tio n with h im

4d e sp ite th e c lie n t’s re p e a te d e ffo rts to c o nta c t M c Do n a ld

. Mc D o n a ld d id n o t file

a n y fu rth e r p le a d in g s on h is c lie n t' s b e ha lf, a nd wh e n th e c a se a pp e a re d o n th e

c o u rt’s c a le nd a

r h e fa ile d to a

p p e a r. Th e c lie n t, wh o w a s p r e s en t fo r th e

c a le n da r c a ll, in fo rm e d th e c o u rt o f Mc Do n a ld ’s fa ilu re to re sp o n d to h is e ffo rts

to c o n ta c t h im a n d th e c o u rt issu e d a n Ord e r fo r With d ra w a l of Atto rn e y o n Ju n e

3

, 2 0 1 3

. Th e c lie n t wa s a b le to o b ta in a

p po in te d c o u n se l t o re so lv e h is c a se

.

Mc Do n a ld h a s n o t re sp o n de d to th e In ve stig a tiv e P a n e l in th is m a tte r. Th e Ba r

su b m its th a t th is c on du c t v io la te s Ru le s 1 .2 (a ), 1 .3 , 1 .4 , 3 .2

, a n d 9

. 3

.

S 1 4 Y 1 4 1 6

By v irtu e o f h is d e fa ult, Mc Do n a ld a d m its th a t in Oc to be r 20 09

, a c lie n t

re ta in e d h im to p u rsu e a p e r s o n a l in ju ry a c tio n in v o lv in g in

ju rie s th e c lie n t

su ffe re d in a

n a u to m o b ile a c c id e n t th a t m o nth

. Th e c a se wa s se ttle d fo r $ 9 ,0 0 0

a n d o n o r a

b o u t M ar ch 1

, 2 0 1 3

, M c Do n a ld se n t th e c lie nt a “ S e ttle m e n t

S ta te m e nt” re fle c tin g th a t h e wa s with h o ld in g $2 ,3 2 3 .6 7 fo r p ay m e n t to m e d ic a l

p ro v id e rs a

n d a n in su re r fo r su b ro g a tio n

. Alth o u g h th e c lie nt ha d a lre a d y p a id

th e m e d ic a l p ro v id e rs o u t-o f-p o c k e t, h e wa ite d fo r Mc Do n a ld to n e g o tia te th e

o n ly re m a in in g u np a id c la im

– a su b ro ga tio n c la im fro m Blu e Cro ss Blu e S h ie ld

in th e a m o u n t o f $ 1 ,2 4 8 .9 5

– b e fo re re q u e stin g disb u rse m e n t o f th e re m a in in g

5fu n d s. In Au g ust 2 0 1 3

, th e c lie nt re c e iv e d a le tte r fro m Blu e C ro ss re g a rd in g

th e su b r o g a t i o n c la im

. M c Do n a ld did n ot re sp o n d to th e c lie n t’s re p e a te d

a tte m p ts to c o n t a c t h im re g a rd in g p a y m e n t o f th e su b ro g a tio n c la im a n d

re im b urse m e n t fo r th e o t h e r m e d ic a l e x p e n se s a nd h a s n o t pro v id e d a n

a c c o u ntin g fo r th e se ttle m e nt fu n d s th a t we re d e sig n a te d fo r m e d ic a l e x p e n se s.

Mc Do n a ld a lso fa ile d to re sp on d to th e c lie n t’s g rie va n c e

. T h e Ba r su b m its th a t

th is c o n d u c t v io la te s Ru le s 1 .2 (a ), 1

. 3 , 1 .4

, 3 .2 , an d 9 .3

.

Alth o u g h t h e In v e stig a tiv e P a ne l a d m its th a t Mc Do n a ld h a s no p rio r

d isc ip lin a ry h isto ry

, i t n o te s th a t d isb a rm e n t is th e m a x im u m p u n ish m e n t fo r

v io la tin g Ru le s 1 .3

, 1 .1 5 (I) a n d (II), an d 8 .4 (a ) (4 ) a n d a sse rts th a t d isb a rm e n t

is wa rra n te d b e c a

use M c Do na ld a c te d willfu lly a n d d ish o n e s t l y in fa ilin g to

c o m m u nic a te with h is c lie n ts, in a b a n d o n in g th e le g a l m a tte rs e n tru ste d to h im

,

in m isre p re se n tin g to h is c l i en t in S1 4Y1 4 1 4 th e sta tu s o f h e r le g a l m a tte r, in

d ism issin g th a t c lie n t’s m a tte r with o u t he r kn owle d g e

, a n d in fa ilin g to a c c o u n t

fo r an d p ro p e rly disb u rse th e p ro c e e d s fro m t h e c lie n t’s se ttle m e n t in

S 1 4 Y1 4 1 6

. It a lso a rg u e s th a t d is b ar me n t is wa rra nte d b e c a u se th e se fo u r

m a tte rs d e m o n stra te a

p a tte rn o f m isc o n d u c t.

Ba se d o n ou r re v ie w o f th e re c o rd

, we c o n clu d e th a t disb a rm e n t is th e

6a

p p ro p ria te sa n c tio n in th e se m a tte rs. Ac c o rd in g ly

, it is h e re b y o rd e re d th a t th e

n a m e o f Ro b e rt An th o n y Mc Do n a ld b e re m o v e d fro m t h e r o l ls o f p e rso n s

a u th oriz e d to p ra c tic e la w in th e S ta te o f Ge org ia

. Mc D o n a ld is re m in d e d o f h is

d u tie s p u rsu a n t to Ba

r Ru le 4 -2 1 9 (c ).

Disb a rre d . All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r

7