Opinion ID: 2591097
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: The Mike Gonzalez Matter

Text: Mike Gonzales retained Respondent to represent his company, Quest Technologies, Inc., with regard to its international patents. In 2006, Respondent was specifically engaged to handle a patent application filed in South Korea. At that time, Mr. Gonzales paid a $500.00 retainer and later paid Respondent's billing invoices totaling approximately $3,500.00 for this legal matter. Although Respondent represented (via his billing statements), that he was working on the matter, Mr. Gonzales discovered that Respondent did not perform the work he was retained and paid to accomplish. As a result, Mr. Gonzales discovered that the patent expired in February 2007 due to non reply by Respondent. Further, Mr. Gonzales has never received an accounting of the funds he provided to Respondent for this matter or a refund of these funds. Mr. Gonzales has made numerous requests to recover his company's client file from Respondent so he can determine what action should be taken on the South Korean patent, but Respondent refused to respond, or return the file to Mr. Gonzales. As a result of this conduct, Respondent violated Colo. RPC 1.1, 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.4(b), and 8.4(c).