Opinion ID: 2523793
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: COUNT 4 Stacy Thornton (Fife Corporation)

Text: ¶ 14 On August 18, 2008, Stacy Thornton, who was the Human Resource Manager of the Fife Corporation, filed a grievance with the Office of the General Counsel that alleged the respondent neglected an immigration matter for its employee, Wolfram Ploetz. As a result, his immigration status was jeopardized. The Fife Corporation considered Mr. Ploetz a very valuable employee. ¶ 15 The Corporation had difficulty communicating with the respondent and subsequently hired another lawyer, who discovered that Mr. Ploetz had lost his eligibility and had been in the United States illegally since January 2008. The new lawyer also discovered the respondent had filed documents with the immigration service and paid the filing fees with an insufficient check. To re-file Mr. Ploetz's documents, the Corporation had to pay with a credit card. ¶ 16 The new lawyer obtained a work permit for Mr. Ploetz to remain in the United States, but his I-40 filing was denied due to the respondent's failure to provide all the required initial evidence. The respondent never informed the Corporation or Mr. Ploetz that the immigration service had requested more evidence. ¶ 17 Testimony before the trial panel revealed that Mr. Ploetz was able to remain in the United States because he married and became a permanent resident. Had he not married, he would have been returned to Germany and not allowed to return for ten years. ¶ 18 The Office of the General Counsel notified the respondent in writing and requested a response to this grievance filed by the Fife Corporation, but the respondent did not reply. During her September 19, 2008, deposition, she agreed to respond to DC 08-163 by October 21, 2008, but did not respond. ¶ 19 The respondent's acts of misconduct in Count 4 constitute professional misconduct in violation of Rules 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.15, 8.1(b), 8.4(c) and 8.4(d), ORPC, 5 O.S.2001, as modified by 5 O.S.Supp.2008, ch. 1, app. 3-A, and Rules 1.3 and 5.2, RGDP, 5 O.S.2001, ch. 1, app. 1-A.