Opinion ID: 2379892
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Rodriguez Matter

Text: In early 1996, respondent began representing Juan Rodriguez in a worker's compensation case as a result of a work-related injury to Rodriguez's hand. Little happened in the case until December 1997, at which time Rodriguez received from his employer's insurance carrier a check for $6,212, representing forty-nine weeks' pay reduced for a 20% permanent partial disability. Respondent had Rodriguez pay to her from those proceeds $1,578, an unearned fee that she was prohibited by statute from taking without court approval. For the next twenty-three months, respondent took little or no action, which resulted in the dismissal of the worker's compensation case in November 1999 for lack of prosecution. A fee arbitration committee later entered an order that respondent was not entitled to any portion of the $1,578 paid to her by Rodriguez. Nevertheless, respondent steadfastly refused to abide by that committee's determination and did not return the unearned fee. The DRB found that respondent deceived her client into paying the fee and rejected respondent's various contrived justifications for entitlement to it. In addition, respondent would not return to Rodriguez his case file, even after her termination as counsel. The DRB determined that respondent violated RPC 1.3 (lack of diligence), RPC 1.16(d) (failure to comply with duties on terminating representation), RPC 3.4(c) (knowingly disobeying obligation under rules of tribunal), and RPC 8.4(c) (misrepresentation).