Opinion ID: 1725571
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The $10,000.00 fee

Text: The ODC contents that the hearing committee and disciplinary board erred in ruling that the evidence does not clearly and convincingly prove respondent attempted to earn the $10,000 fee by misleading his clients with false information. Particularly, the ODC points out that respondent told his clients there were distribution warrants out for them when in truth and in fact there never were warrants issued nor was there any ongoing investigation of them. The ODC contends that respondent knew the truth on or about October 24 but, as late as October 30, during a telephone conversation with Williams, continued to attempt to deceive by maintaining that he had been told warrants had been issued. The ODC further argues that respondent failed to refund any of the $10,000 fee until confronted with the knowledge that his clients knew the truth. All of this is very troubling, especially when most of the evidence supporting respondent's version of these events comes from respondent and his credibility on the sexual advances issue was squarely rejected by the hearing committee and the disciplinary board. Nonetheless, and though we share the ODC's concern, we ultimately conclude that the evidence does not quite meet the standard of clear and convincing. [8] In any event, respondent quickly refunded the entire fee, although he clearly had earned part of it.