Opinion ID: 2222122
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: representation of william eiseman counts one through six

Text: ¶ 5. The OLR complaint alleged, and Sherry now stipulates, that in late 1998 and 1999 Sherry represented William Eiseman, a real estate owner/manager in several eviction actions. In one such action Eiseman's commercial tenant successfully contested the claimed breach of lease and that eviction complaint was dismissed. Eiseman then gathered additional evidence concerning that commercial tenant's alleged breaches of the lease and Sherry agreed to file another eviction action against her. Subsequently, Eiseman repeatedly attempted to reach Sherry to determine the status of that second eviction action but Sherry failed to return Eiseman's calls or voice mail messages. ¶ 6. Sherry later informed Eiseman that he had commenced a new action against that commercial tenant and that a return date had been scheduled but then, according to Sherry, it had been adjourned. Ultimately, Sherry admitted to Eiseman that he had not taken any further action to evict that commercial tenant. ¶ 7. Sherry had also been asked by Eiseman to file an eviction action against a residential tenant. Again, Sherry informed Eiseman that the eviction action had commenced and that a return date had been scheduled, only to subsequently inform Eiseman that the return date had been adjourned. In August 1999 Sherry assured Eiseman that a writ of restitution had been issued with respect to that residential tenant; however, when pressed by Eiseman about that writ, Sherry admitted that he had not obtained one. Sherry promised Eiseman that he would then commence an eviction action against that residential tenant and secure the writ. Eiseman later contacted the clerk of court's office and discovered that no action against that tenant had been filed. ¶ 8. In September of 1999 Eiseman repeatedly asked Sherry to transfer the eviction files to his new attorney. Sherry told the new attorney that he would bring the files to his office that day but never did so. ¶ 9. When the OLR's district investigative committee subpoenaed Sherry for an interview and asked him to produce Eiseman's eviction files, Sherry failed to do so. At the interview the committee again asked Sherry to produce and surrender the eviction files and Sherry agreed to locate them and provide them to the OLR. A second written request from the investigative committee reminded Sherry of his promise to produce the files but Sherry did not produce the files nor did he respond in any way to that second request. ¶ 10. During the OLR's subsequent investigation of Eiseman's grievance against Sherry it was discovered that Sherry's license to practice law had been administratively suspended on June 6, 2001, for his noncompliance with the mandatory CLE requirements. The OLR staff requested information from Sherry concerning this administrative suspension and then granted Sherry's request for an extension to respond to that inquiry until July 2, 2001. After receiving no response from Sherry, the OLR sent follow-up correspondence but again Sherry did not respond. ¶ 11. In August 2001 the OLR staff sent two final letters to Sherry by certified mail and personal service requesting a response and informing him that if the OLR did not receive a response by August 23, 2001, it would seek a suspension of Sherry's license under SCR 22.03(4) for his failure to cooperate in the OLR investigation. Sherry again requested an extension which the OLR granted until August 29, 2001. However, Sherry failed to respond. On October 30, 2001, at the OLR's request, pursuant to SCR 22.21(2), this court temporarily suspended Sherry's license to practice law in this state for his failure to cooperate with the investigation. ¶ 12. This course of conduct resulted in Counts One through Six in the OLR's complaint. Those counts of misconduct to which Sherry now stipulates are:
¶ 13. By failing to initiate an eviction action against Eiseman's commercial tenant, Sherry failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client, in violation of SCR 20:1.3.
¶ 14. By failing to initiate an eviction action against Eiseman's residential tenant, Sherry failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client, in violation of SCR 20:1.3.
¶ 15. By informing Eiseman that an eviction action had been filed against the commercial tenant and that a court date had been scheduled and adjourned when, in fact, no action had been filed, Sherry engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation, in violation of SCR 20:8.4(c).
¶ 16. By informing Eiseman that an eviction action had been filed against the residential tenant, that a court date had been scheduled, and that a writ of restitution had been issued when in fact no action had been filed, Sherry engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation, in violation of SCR 20:8.4(c).
¶ 17. By failing to deliver Eiseman's files to successor counsel, Sherry failed to surrender papers and property to which a client is entitled, in violation of SCR 20:1.16(d).
¶ 18. By failing to respond to correspondence from the OLR in the investigation in this matter and by failing to provide the eviction files to the OLR district committee investigator, Sherry failed to cooperate with the OLR in the investigation of this matter, in violation of SCR 21.15(4).