Opinion ID: 2060381
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Guido Matter

Text: In 1977, Louis R. Guido retained respondent to represent him in a divorce action. Judgment for divorce was entered on February 2, 1978, and incorporated the disposition of the marital property. The marital premises were sold pursuant to the Judgment in July 1979 and respondent placed the proceeds in an interest-bearing account. Thereafter several post-judgment Motions were filed relating to the disbursement of the trust account funds. Between July and November 1980, several disbursements were made from the account to various creditors of the Guidos. A handwritten accounting dated September 1981 was submitted to the court, which resulted in an Order dated November 12, 1981, directing immediate disbursement in accordance with the accounting. Innumerable telephone calls by Mr. Guido to respondent failed to result in distribution of the funds, and respondent had failed to provide an updated accounting to Mr. Guido. Indeed, neither Mr. Guido nor his former wife, Carmen Guido, has received any funds from respondent. The DRB held that with respect to these six complaints, respondent was guilty of gross neglect, DR 6-101(A)(1); a pattern of neglect, DR 6-101(A)(2); failure to carry out contracts of employment, DR 7-101(A)(2); allowing statute of limitations to run on various clients' claims, DR 7-101(A)(3); and making misrepresentations to clients and failing to communicate with them, DR 1-102(A)(4) and (6). [1]