Opinion ID: 1952792
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 22

Heading: Referee's Findings as to Guilt

Text: As to all counts, the referee found Horowitz guilty of violating Rules Governing The Florida Bar 3-4.2 (a lawyer's violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct as adopted by the Rules Governing The Florida Bar is a cause for discipline) and 4-8.4(a) (a lawyer shall not violate the Rules of Professional Conduct). The referee found the following violations in Case I (The Starbeck Case): Rule 4-1.1 (a lawyer shall provide competent representation to a client); rule 4-1.3 (a lawyer shall act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client); rule 4-1.4(a) (a lawyer shall keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter and promptly comply with reasonable requests for information); rule 4-1.4(b) (a lawyer shall explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation); rule 4-1.16(d) (upon termination of representation, a lawyer shall take steps reasonably practicable to protect a client's interests); rule 3-4.8 (any member who is the subject of an investigation under the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar shall respond in writing to all investigative inquiries made by Bar counsel or grievance committees, and as elsewhere required in the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar); and rule 4-8.4(g) (a lawyer shall not fail to respond in writing to any inquiry by a disciplinary agency when such agency is conducting an investigation into the lawyer's conduct). In Case II (The Burick Case), the referee found Horowitz guilty of violating rules 4-1.1; 4-1.2(a) (a lawyer shall abide by client's decisions concerning the objectives of representation); 4-1.3; and 4-3.2 (a lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to expedite litigation consistent with the interests of the client); 4-8.4(c) (a lawyer shall not engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation); 4-1.4(a); 4-1.4(b); 4-1.16(d); and 4-1.5(a) (a lawyer shall not enter into an agreement for, charge, or collect an illegal, prohibited, or clearly excessive fee); 5-1.1(c) (a member of The Florida Bar shall preserve or cause to be preserved the records of all accounts or other records pertaining to the funds or property of a client or a third party maintained in compliance with rule 4-1.15 for a period of not less than six years); 5-1.1(d) (minimum trust accounting records shall be maintained and minimum trust accounting procedures must be followed by all attorneys practicing in Florida who receive or disburse trust money or property); 5-1.2(b) (minimum trust accounting records shall be maintained); 5-1.2(c) (minimum trust accounting procedures must be followed). In Case III (The Bernard Case), the referee found Horowitz guilty of violating rules 4-1.1; 4-1.2; 4-1.3; 4-1.4(a); 4-1.4(b); 3-4.3 (the commission by a lawyer of any act that is unlawful or contrary to honesty and justice, whether the act is committed in the course of the attorney's relations as an attorney or otherwise, may constitute a cause for discipline); 4-8.4(c); 4-1.1; 4-1.2; 4-1.3; 4-1.15(b) (upon receiving funds or other property in which a client or third person has an interest, a lawyer shall promptly notify the client; a lawyer shall promptly deliver to the client any funds or other property that the client is entitled to receive, and upon request, shall promptly render a full accounting regarding such property); 4-1.15(c) (when a lawyer is in possession of property in which both the lawyer and another person claim interests, the property shall be treated by the lawyer as trust property); 3-4.8; 4-8.4(g); 5-1.2(b); and 5-1.1(d).