Opinion ID: 2299310
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Representation of Billy Greer

Text: Respondent's representation of Billy Greer had many of the same failings as his representation of Tel-Art. As noted above, Mr. Greer retained Respondent to represent him on August 2, 1995, in connection with an Equal Pay Act claim against UDC, where he was employed as a temporary security guard. Respondent agreed to represent Mr. Greer as his lawyer, and stated that his fee would be $1,500. Greer gave Respondent a partial retainer of $300.00, for which Respondent provided a receipt that included the out-standing balance of $1,200. Respondent did not tell Mr. Greer that he was not yet admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, nor did he provide him with a written statement about the scope of his representation. In September and October of 1995, Respondent received two additional payments from Mr. Greer. In September 1995, Respondent wrote a letter to the Mayor of the District of Columbia on behalf of Mr. Greer, with a copy to the Corporation Counsel, entitled Notice of Claim-Violation of Equal Pay Act. BX A-9 at 3. The letter was written on the letterhead of Michael Luster & Associates. Respondent listed himself as of counsel and admitted in California. Id. In October 1995, the Civil Division of the Office of the Corporation Counsel responded, assigning Claim No. 6391 to the matter. In December 1995, Respondent sent a letter to UDC, asserting a claim on behalf of Mr. Greer against the University for violating the Equal Pay Act. BX B-15, Exhibit B at 2. That letter lists Respondent as of counsel in the Office of Michael Luster & Associates. Id. In January 1996, Mr. Greer made an additional payment to Respondent, reducing the outstanding balance to $300. Subsequently, Greer paid the balance owing on the retainer fee. Mr. Greer obtained information on his case only when he stopped by Respondent's home to make a payment. On April 5, 1996, Respondent wrote to the then President of UDC, Dr. Tilden Lemelle, on behalf of Mr. Greer and two other University employees, demanding a response to his letter within one week in order to resolve these problems amicably. BX B-15, Exhibit B at 1. He received no response. At that point, Respondent understood that he would have to file another grievance with the University in order to advance Mr. Greer's case. Respondent took no such action himself, nor did he ask Mr. Luster to do so. After he commenced employment at the EPA, Respondent received a directive from his employer requiring that he relieve himself of the burdens of private cases, including a warning that client matters relating to the District of Columbia might constitute a conflict of interest with his federal employment. Respondent failed to advise Mr. Greer, however, that his federal employment precluded him from continuing to handle any matters involving the District of Columbia (including UDC). In fact, in the brief contact Respondent had with Mr. Greer during the period August through December 1996, Respondent told Greer that he had to do some research and everything was just going as planned. Tr. III at 65. [6] In January 1997, Respondent prepared a Statement of Grievance on plain letterhead, and gave it to Mr. Greer to submit to the University. On January 30, 1997, Mr. Greer delivered the letter prepared by Respondent to the then President of UDC, Dr. Julius Nimons. Respondent had no further direct communication with his client. Respondent sent a letter to Mr. Greer, dated November 4, 1997, but post-marked February 13, 1998, in which he advised that he would no longer be able to represent Mr. Greer because he was no longer in the private practice of law, and enclosed Greer's file.