Opinion ID: 2449627
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Nelson Complaint

Text: ¶ 12 In the second complaint, Greg Nelson alleged that Mr. Long had failed to adequately supervise his nonlawyer assistant, Joe Scheeler, and that Mr. Scheeler had engaged in the unauthorized practice of law (the Nelson Matter). Mr. Nelson contacted Mr. Long's office on April 18, 2007, seeking legal representation for a friend, David Merritt, who was incarcerated for allegedly violating a protective order. Mr. Nelson met with Mr. Scheeler, a nonlawyer employee of Mr. Long's firm, paid a retainer fee of $750, and signed a flat fee agreement for Mr. Long to represent Mr. Merritt. Although Mr. Nelson paid for legal representation, Mr. Long did not appear at the initial hearing in Mr. Merritt's case. When Mr. Long did not appear at a second hearing in Mr. Merritt's case, Mr. Scheeler told Mr. Nelson that he would handle the matter himself as a mediator. Two days later, Mr. Nelson paid an additional $1,100 to resolve Mr. Merritt's criminal case. ¶ 13 On May 2, 2007, Mr. Long received a letter from an attorney who had been hired by Debbi Smith, the individual who filed the protective order in Mr. Merritt's criminal case. The letter stated that Ms. Smith and Mr. Long's client, Mr. Merritt, needed to resolve an issue concerning property division but could not contact one another in light of the protective order. Three weeks after Mr. Long received this letter, Mr. Merritt signed a flat fee agreement in which Mr. Long agreed to represent him. ¶ 14 On June 1, 2007, Mr. Scheeler conducted a mediation between Mr. Merritt and Ms. Smith. Mr. Scheeler then drafted a settlement agreement that addressed the division of personal property between the parties. Although the settlement agreement listed Mr. Long as Mr. Merritt's attorney, Mr. Long did not participate in the mediation, nor did he participate in drafting the settlement agreement. In a letter dated June 11, 2007, Mr. Long informed the prosecutor in Mr. Merritt's criminal case that Mr. Merritt and Ms. Smith had voluntarily completed a mediation with Mr. Scheeler and were working on a settlement agreement. ¶ 15 Mr. Nelson subsequently filed a complaint with the OPC. The OPC mailed Mr. Long a Notice of Informal Complaint and provided Mr. Long with an opportunity to respond to the allegations of misconduct. After Mr. Long provided a response, the OPC conducted a preliminary investigation and provided Mr. Long with a copy of its findings. As part of the OPC investigation, Mr. Nelson stated that, based on his interactions with Mr. Scheeler, he thought Mr. Scheeler was an attorney. The OPC investigation also concluded that Mr. Long's website listed Mr. Scheeler as a legal mediator. After completing its investigation, the OPC found that Mr. Long's actions violated the rules of professional conduct. The OPC then referred the Nelson Matter to the Committee. The Screening Panel held a hearing at which Mr. Long testified and presented evidence. At the hearing, Mr. Long admitted that he first met with Mr. Merritt on June 19, 2007, after the mediation. Mr. Long also stated that pursuant to Mr. Scheeler's employment agreement, Mr. Scheeler was to comply with the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct and to notify clients that he was not an attorney. ¶ 16 Based on this evidence, the Screening Panel concluded that Mr. Long's actions violated rules 5.3(a), [9] 5.5(a), [10] and 8.4(a) of the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct. The Screening Panel recommended that Mr. Long receive a public reprimand. Mr. Long subsequently filed an exception to the Committee Chair, arguing that the Screening Panel's recommendation was not supported by substantial evidence and that its findings of fact were insufficient to support its conclusions. The Committee Chair held a hearing at which Mr. Long presented evidence. [11] The Committee Chair rejected Mr. Long's arguments, upheld the Screening Panel's recommendation, and imposed the sanction of a public reprimand.