Opinion ID: 2614643
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Complaining Witness's Complaint to ODC

Text: The Complaining Witness communicated with ODC during the underlying litigation. The Complaining Witness's initial communications made statements about the Attorney's character and behavior and expressed concern about the Attorney's fitness to practice law, but indicated the Complaining Witness did not choose to make a third party complaint [sic] against the attorney[,] for a number of reasons. However, in July, 1995, the Complaining Witness submitted a letter complaining about the Attorney's conduct in two prior cases in which the Attorney had represented the Complaining Witness. The Complaining Witness also asserted the Attorney refused to provide timely notice to the Attorney's insurance broker about the Complaining Witness's claims that arose from the break up of the professional relationship (the July 1995 grievance). In 1996, a few days after the Arbitrator in the underlying litigation struck the Attorney's claims that were based upon the Complaining Witnesses's statements to ODC, the Complaining Witness submitted another written grievance to ODC. The Complaining Witness opined the Attorney violated Rules 3.1 [7] and 8.4 [8] of the Hawai`i Rules of Professional Conduct (HRPC) when, in the underlying litigation, the Attorney argued that evidence of the Complaining Witness's communications with ODC was admissible and could be a basis for the Attorney's claims against the Complaining Witness (the November 1996 grievance). In January, 1997, after the December, 1996, settlement of the arbitrated claims, the Complaining Witness tried to withdraw all of the complaints he had made to ODC. ODC informed the Complaining Witness that the complaint process could not be abated based upon unwillingness of a complainant to prosecute a charge [sic [9] ] nor settlement nor compromise between the complainant and the attorney. [10] In August, 1997, and over the following months the Complaining Witness asked ODC to order restitution from the Attorney for funds the Complaining Witness claimed to have spent to defend and settle the arbitration. In August, 1998, ODC informed the Complaining Witness that his July, 1995, grievance had resulted in findings of minor ethical violations and that a Private Informal Admonition had been imposed upon the Attorney. In September, 1998, ODC informed the Complaining Witness that the reviewing board member found no clear and convincing evidence to support the Complaining Witness's November, 1996, grievance and that the grievance was dismissed.