Opinion ID: 1792167
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The R.M. Client Matter

Text: ¶ 7. Counts 1-3 alleged that while subject to an administrative law license suspension, Attorney Scanlan continued to practice law, giving rise to violations of SCR 20:1.4(a) and (b), [2] SCR 22.26(1), [3] and SCR 22.03(2). [4] In August 2002 R.M. was charged with second offense operating while intoxicated and operating while revoked, and she retained Attorney Scanlan to represent her. The referee found that while Attorney Scanlan's law license was administratively suspended from October 31, 2002, to November 20, 2002, for failure to pay required bar dues and assessments, a scheduled pretrial was held on November 18 for R.M.'s matter. The district attorney's office had checked a court or state bar Web site and learned that Attorney Scanlan's law license had been suspended. However, Attorney Scanlan never informed the district attorney's office or local judges that he had been administratively suspended. ¶ 8. The referee specifically found that Attorney Scanlan did not attend R.M.'s scheduled pretrial conference because at that point he knew his license had been temporarily suspended. R.M. appeared unrepresented at the pretrial conference. The pretrial conference evolved into a plea hearing during which R.M. pled guilty to a charge of operating under the influence of an intoxicant. ¶ 9. R.M. filed a grievance with the OLR. The referee found Attorney Scanlan did not respond to two OLR letters, but responded to a third, after he had sought reinstatement from a temporary suspension occasioned by his non-cooperation in another OLR grievance investigation. ¶ 10. As to Count 1, relating to Attorney Scanlan's obligation to keep his client reasonably informed, the OLR agreed that because R.M. failed to appear at the disciplinary hearing although subpoenaed, the OLR did not meet its burden of proof. Therefore, Count 1 was dismissed. ¶ 11. The referee next determined the OLR did not meet its burden to show a violation of SCR 22.26(1) as charged in Count 2. Count 2 alleged that by failing to notify the court, the district attorney's office and his client of his administrative license suspension and inability to practice law, Attorney Scanlan violated SCR 22.26(1), requiring notification to clients and others of his suspension. ¶ 12. The referee concluded that because SCR 22.26(1) does not apply to an administrative license suspension, the OLR failed to meet its burden of proof. The referee determined: [Attorney] Scanlan argued persuasively that SCR 22.26(1) does not apply to administrative suspensions based upon a lawyer's failure to pay State bar dues pursuant to SCR 10.03(6) because it is not a Supreme Court suspension nor revocation. Therefore, the referee dismissed Count 2. ¶ 13. As to Count 3, by not filing timely responses to the OLR's requests, the referee concluded Attorney Scanlan violated SCR 22.03(2), requiring full disclosure of all facts pertaining to alleged misconduct within 20 days of the request.