Opinion ID: 6309853
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: On March 14, 1973, respondent issued a check drawn on the executor account in the amount of $ 12,301 and made payable to the order of [B].

Text: I. In response to [D’s] request for the deposit slips to the estate account, respondent provided [D] with all of the said deposit slips except for the one reflecting the March 8, 1973 deposit of $7,100. CHARGE II 9. By letter dated December 16, 1975, petitioner advised respondent of the allegations of misconduct and afforded respondent an opportunity to state his position with respect to the allegations. A true and correct copy of said letter is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit 1. 10. In response to the aforementioned letter, respondent filed an answer to the allegations contained in Exhibit 1. Said letter which is dated February 27, 1976, is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit 2. 11. If Mr. and Mrs. [B] were called to testify they would testify as follows: A. Mr. and Mrs. [B] (hereinafter the “[B’s]”) signed an installment contract for the purchase of a cemetery crypt from [ ] Memorial Park, [city, state] (hereinafter “[M.P.]”). B. Thereafter, the [B’s] received notices from the [ ] Bank advising them that the aforesaid contract had been assigned pursuant to an assignment clause authorizing [M.P.] to assign the contract to the [ ] Bank thereby making the [B’s] hable for finance charges in the amount of $504. C. In or about March, 1968, the [B’s] retained respondent to represent them in connection with the aforesaid assignment. D. On the aforesaid date, the [B’s] submitted to respondent all papers in their possession pertaining to the transaction in question, including a receipt for the deposit on the cemetery crypt, notices from the [ ] Bank and [M.P.], and the deed to the property. E. Thereafter, the [B’s] received oral and written demands for payment from the Bank. F. On each occasion that demands for payment were received by the [B’s] they notified respondent of these demands. G. On each of the aforesaid occasions, respondent assured the [B’s] that the matter was being taken care of. H. By a letter dated May 1, 1968, respondent advised [ ] Bank and [M.P.] that he was representing the [B’s] in connection with the contract to purchase a cemetery crypt. A true and correct copy of said letter is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit 7. I. Respondent took no further action to represent the [B’s] in this matter. A certified copy of the docket entries is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit 8. J. Respondent did not notify the [B’s] that he was withdrawing from this matter, but led them to believe he continued to represent them. K. In or about February of 1974, the [B’s] attempted to sell certain real property. L. On the aforesaid date, the [B’s] were advised that a judgment had been entered against the aforesaid property by the [ ] Bank on June 13, 1968, for the amount of $2,879.06 on the judgment note they previously executed with [M.P.]. (See Exhibit 9 attached hereto.) 12. If [J], Esq., were called to testify, he would testify as follows: A. By letters dated March 28, 1974, June 6, 1974 and August 26, 1974, [J] wrote respondent for the purpose of obtaining the [B’s] file in connection with the contract in question. True and correct copies of the said letters are attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibits 9,10 and 11, respectively. B. Respondent, with one exception, failed to respond to the aforesaid communications and failed to transfer the file upon request. CHARGE III 13. By letter dated January 12, 1976, petitioner advised respondent of the allegations of misconduct and afforded respondent the opportunity to state his position with respect to the allegations. A true and correct copy of said letter is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit 12. 14. In response to the aforementioned letter, respondent filed an answer to the allegations contained in Exhibit 12. Said letter, which is dated March 22,1976, is attached hereto and made apart hereof as Exhibit 13. 15. If Mrs. [H] (hereinafter “[H]”) were called to testify, she would testify as follows: A. Mrs. [H] sustained personal injuries in an automobile accident which occurred on or about October 6, 1963. B. In or about October 1963, [H] retained respondent on a contingent fee basis for the purpose of instituting a personal injury claim against [K] (hereinafter “[K]”), the other party to the aforesaid accident. C. During the period November, 1963, through November, 1974, [H] repeatedly sought information from respondent on the status of her claim. D. In response to the aforesaid inquiries, respondent assured [H] that the case was routinely progressing. E. By letter dated November 21, 1974, respondent advised [H] that the case would be settled in the near future. Said letter is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit 14. F. Respondent failed to again communicate with [H] concerning the aforesaid case. G. In or about June, 1971, [H] retained respondent to institute a divorce action. H. On June 10, 1971, respondent filed a Complaint in Divorce on [H’s] behalf, which was served on her husband on June 19, 1971. I. Respondent failed to take any further action to procure a divorce for [H]. A certified copy of the docket entries is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit 15. J. During the period June, 1971 through June, 1975, [H] repeatedly sought information from respondent on the status of her divorce action. K. Respondent failed to advise [H] as to the progress of the aforesaid action. L. In or about June, 1975, [H] retained [G], Esq., to assume representation of the aforesaid divorce action. 16. If [G], Esq., (hereinafter “[G]”) were called to testify, he would testify as follows: A. By letter dated June 3, 1975, [G] requested that respondent contact him for the purpose of transferring the [H] file pertaining to the divorce action. A true and correct copy of said letter is attached hereto and made apart hereof as Exhibit 16. B. Respondent failed to respond to the aforesaid communication or to forward the [H] file to [G]. C. Thereafter, [H] advised [G] that respondent was also representing her with respect to her personal injury claim against [K] and that she was unable to determine the status of this matter. D. By letter dated June 26, 1975, [G] asked respondent to contact him concerning the aforesaid claim. A true and correct copy of said letter is attached hereto and made apart hereof as Exhibit 17. E. Respondent failed to respond to the aforesaid communication. F. Thereafter, [G] repeatedly attempted to contact respondent by telephone concerning [H’s] personal injury claim and her pending divorce action. CHARGE IV 17. By letter dated August 12, 1976, petitioner advised respondent of the allegations of misconduct and afforded respondent an opportunity to state his position with respect to the allegations. A true and correct copy of said letter is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit 18. 18. In response to the aforementioned letter, respondent filed an answer to the allegations contained in Exhibit 18. Said letter which is dated October 27, 1976 is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit 19. 19. If [L] were called to testify, she would testify as follows: A. [L] is the sister of [M], who died intestate in New York on July 22, 1965. B. Thereafter, [respondent], Esq., was appointed administrator of [M’s] Estate. C. The first distribution from the proceeds of the estate occurred in February of 1977.