Opinion ID: 4455121
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: ¶2 The Respondent was admitted to the Oklahoma Bar on April 25, 2003. 2 Following law school he worked for several different law firms. His responsibilities at those firms did not include collecting client funds or billing, other than keeping an account of his own billable hours. 3 Somewhere between 2014 and 2015 he was employed with the state as in-house counsel to the Commissioners of the Land Office (CLO). 4 Shortly thereafter, an attorney friend of his, Isaac Warren, opened a new practice and asked the Respondent to join him. 5 The Respondent left the CLO and joined Mr. Warren's practice in the spring of 2015. 6 However, within a few months of joining, Mr. Warren suddenly disclosed he was moving to Texas and left the practice to the Respondent but the record reflects there were few if any paying clients/cases transferred to the Respondent. 7 The Respondent testified that this is when his problems began. 8 He stated, I didn't really have a feel for what's involved in running your own practice, the marketing, the funds management, the administrative. . . . I was just really floundering. 9 By 2016 his finances were suffering and other problems arose. 10 His wife developed an ongoing serious illness causing the Respondent to take on more responsibilities with their five children, some of which have special needs that require substantial attention. 11 This caused the Respondent to devote less time to gaining business, servicing clients, and collecting from clients. 12 He testified, it prevented him from keeping up with his Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) requirements; he could not afford it and keep the lights on or put gas in the car. 13 ¶3 On March 15, 2017, a letter from the Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA) was sent to the Respondent informing him of the May 15, 2017, deadline to show cause why his license should not be suspended for failure to comply with MCLE requirements for the year 2016. 14 The Respondent did not respond and on May 30, 2017, this Court issued an Order suspending the Respondent from the practice of law for failure to comply with Rules 3 and 5 of the rules for MCLE, 5 O.S. 2011, ch.1, app. 1-B. 15 On the same day, the OBA sent a letter to the Respondent with the attached Order. 16 The letter informed the Respondent that he may seek reinstatement pursuant to MCLE Rules 6(b) and 6(d). The letter also informed him that if he did not reinstate from this suspension he was required, pursuant to Rule 9.1, RGDP, to do the following within twenty (20) days of the May 30, 2017, Order: 1. Notify all your clients having legal business pending by certified mail of your inability to represent them and the necessity for promptly retaining new counsel. 2. File a formal withdrawal as counsel of record in all cases pending in any tribunal. 3. File an affidavit with the Professional Responsibility Commission and with the Clerk of the Supreme Court stating that you have complied with Rule 9.1. The letter also warned him of the consequences for failure to take these actions. The Respondent testified he received this letter on June 3, 2017. 17 ¶4 The Respondent did not seek reinstatement as provided in the letter and on June 11, 2018, his name was stricken from the roll of attorneys for this failure to comply with MCLE requirements. 18 The Respondent has ceased to be a member of the OBA since that time. In addition, on June 4, 2018, he was suspended for failure to pay his dues for the year 2018. 19 However, on August 20, 2018, the Respondent paid a late penalty, plus the reinstatement fee and his dues for 2018. 20 Prior to his suspension for failure to comply with MCLE requirements, the Respondent had never had a Bar complaint filed against him. 21