Opinion ID: 2360393
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Complaint of Julius William Pitts, Sr.

Text: As his mother's caretaker, Julius Pitts applied, on behalf of his mother, for medical assistance from the Maryland Department of Human Resources on or about June 9, 2003. A caseworker informed Mr. Pitts that his mother's assets exceeded the acceptable limit of $2,500 by approximately $1,700 and instructed Mr. Pitts to transfer ownership of his mother's life insurance policy to the William C. Brown Funeral Home. A few weeks later, Mr. Pitts transferred ownership of the policy to the funeral home and reapplied for medical assistance in August, 2003. Upon reapplying, Mr. Pitts was informed that, due to a change in regulations, his transfer of ownership to the funeral home was not acceptable and that he should have transferred the ownership of the policy to himself as the representative of his mother. This change resulted in a denial of his second application because his mother's assets were still greater than the acceptable limit. Mr. Pitts then filed an appeal, but before his appeal was heard, his mother passed away. Mr. Pitts was referred to respondent and met with him in October, 2003. At this initial meeting, respondent collected $1,000 of a total agreed-upon fee of $1,500. A hearing on Mr. Pitt's appeal was scheduled before an Administrative Law Judge for October 14, 2003. Respondent appeared on that day and requested a postponement, which was granted. The hearing was rescheduled for October 28. Respondent not only failed to advise his client of the postponement but failed to appear himself on the 28th, and, as a result, the appeal was dismissed and the case closed. Respondent failed to advise his client of the dismissal. Mr. Pitts made several attempts to contact respondent to determine the status of the matter, all to no avail. Finally, in April, 2004, he filed a complaint with Bar Counsel. Bar Counsel requested a response to Mr. Pitt's complaint, but received none. The hearing judge concluded that, with respect to his representation of Mr. Pitts, respondent had violated MLRPC 1.1 by failing to competently represent his client because he was not thoroughly prepared for representing Mr. Pitts at an initial hearing or at a subsequent re-scheduled hearing, MLRPC 1.4 by failing to communicate with his client sufficiently and by failing to keep Mr. Pitts informed of the status of his case, and MLRPC 8.1 by failing to respond to Bar Counsel's numerous requests for information, and by failing to provide Bar Counsel with information regarding retention of the fee paid by Mr. Pitts. Respondent did not file exceptions to any of the hearing judge's findings of facts and conclusions of law. Bar Counsel excepted to her failure to find a violation of MLRPC 1.3, 1.5(a), 1.16(d), and 8.4(d). We will sustain Bar Counsel's exceptions with respect to MLRPC 1.3 and 8.4(d). We agree with Bar Counsel that the facts fully support a conclusion that respondent failed to represent Mr. Pitts in a diligent and prompt manner (1.3), and engaged in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice. (8.4(d)). We shall overrule Bar Counsel's exceptions as to MLRPC 1.5(a) and 1.16(a).