Opinion ID: 1122989
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Dealings with Clients.

Text: In November of 1993, Ethel Ellis (Ellis) paid $2,500.00 to Elaine Meek, the respondent, to file a fast track appeal of her son's criminal conviction. The fee was not placed in a trust account. [5] The respondent filed the fast track appeal on November 18, 1993. However, because the paperwork was not in the right form, the Court of Criminal Appeals issued an order on December 27, 1993, directing the respondent to submit a corrected brief. The respondent failed to file the requested brief, and on June 27, 1994, the Court of Criminal Appeals ordered her to show cause why she had neither responded to the order nor diligently proceeded with the appeal. Although the respondent met with her client on August 3, 1994, and assured her the proper filings had been delivered by over night express mail, [6] she did not respond to the show cause order. No brief was ever filed, and the appeal was dismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeals on January 18, 1995. The respondent alleged that her attempt to file a brief out of time was rejected, but the court's docket does not reflect any attempted filings by the respondent. Sandra Gray (Gray) hired the respondent to assist in collecting back child support in June of 1993. Although the respondent was successful in collecting some support, Gray was disappointed with the results, and she attempted to hire another lawyer. The second lawyer told Gray that she needed to get her files from the respondent. When Gray could not locate the respondent by phone, she went to her office, and discovered that the respondent no longer officed there. Shortly after her attempt to contact her, she saw the respondent at a Hispanic Festival, and Gray attempted to discuss her case with the respondent. Gray testified that the respondent's behavior was unusual. Her testimony at the disciplinary hearing provides in pertinent part: ... I seen her, and I said, `Elaine'. And she just kind of looked at me. And I don't know, I work in the behavioral health department for the psychiatrist and psychologist, so she appeared to, I don't know, she appeared to act real strange, and she was kind of  I said, I've tried to get in touch with you, and she said well, I'm in the phone book. She kind of ran away.... Gray was unable to find a listing in the Tulsa directory for her, and on October 2, 1995, she filed a complaint with the Bar Association alleging that she could not contact the respondent and requesting assistance.