Opinion ID: 2351873
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Receipt of Fees

Text: Paragraph (2) of the Judgment provides: (2) During the suspension, Respondent shall conduct no act directly or indirectly constituting the practice of law (including the sharing or receipt of any legal fees). In re Mekler, Del.Supr., 669 A.2d 655, 671 (1995). The Request informs the Court that all active files of Respondent will be transferred to E. Martin Knepper, Esquire (Knepper) with appropriate notice given to all clients and opposing counsel as required by Rule 24 of the Rules of the Board on Professional Responsibility and by paragraph (3) of the Judgment. The Request further informs the Court that Mekler is due fees for past services. Assuming the fees (and presumably also disbursements) have been billed before the date of suspension and that such charges are proper, Mekler is a creditor and the former client is a debtor as to such proper charges. Nothing in the Judgment precludes Respondent from receiving payment of such charges during the period of suspension, and accounting properly for such receipt. Moreover, nothing in the Judgment precludes Respondent from taking appropriate means to collect past due accounts properly owing, provided that all such steps taken by him are clearly taken as an individual creditor and that no such step will be undertaken in a manner which would lead a reasonable person to believe that Mekler is acting as a lawyer. For example, Mekler may not use his office letterhead or other indicia of his former status as a lawyer for any purpose during the suspension, including the collection of past due accounts. He may, of course, engage a member of the Bar to represent him in the collection of past due accounts, but his role in that event will be solely as a client-creditor and he may not leave any impression that he is acting as a lawyer or as the agent of a lawyer.