Detailed Instructions: In this task, you will be shown a prompt from a judicial decision and multiple holding statements derived from citations following text in a legal decision. Holdings represent the governing legal rule when the law is applied to a particular set of facts. There are five answer choices for each citing text. The correct answer is the holding statement that corresponds to the citing text. You should write an incorrect option. Even though there exist multiple wrong answers, we only need a single wrong answer. There is a <HOLDING> token in the position of the citing text prompt where the holding statement was extracted.
Problem:Rule 1.16(d) provides that an attorney must refund unearned fees upon termination of representation. Respondent failed to refund Ms. Nelson the unearned $1,500.00 fee after she terminated his representation which constitutes a violation of Rule 1.16(d). See Shakir, 427 Md. at 206, 46 A.3d at 1167 (attorney violated 1.16(d) by not refunding unearned fees after representation was terminated). Rule 8.4 generally prohibits attorney misconduct. Subsection (c) of Rule 8.4 states that it is professional misconduct for an attorney to engage in conduct that involves dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. "The retention of unearned fees paid by a client, alone, may constitute a violation of Rule 8.4(c)." Attorney Grievance v. McLaughlin, 372 Md. 467, 502-03, 813 A.2d 1145, 1166 (2002) (<HOLDING>); see also Attorney Grievance v. Gallagher, 371
Holding statements: (A) holding an attorney violated rule 84c when the attorney made misrepresentations about holding two clients money in trust (B) holding that because attorney violated several rules of professional conduct the attorney also violated rule 84a (C) holding that an attorney violated rule 84c when the attorney retained unearned fees from four clients (D) holding attorney lacked standing to challenge amount of attorney fees awarded plaintiffs not parties to the appeal (E) holding because an award of attorney fees is discretionary court may consider attorney fees in relation to the underlying equities in the case
Solution:
holding an attorney violated rule 84c when the attorney made misrepresentations about holding two clients money in trust