Opinion ID: 2615610
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the lone surviving count

Text: ¶ 7 The charges against respondent arise from his conversion (or, in a legal sense, commingling) of an attorney's fee received from Steven David [David]. While employed at Riggs, Abney, Neal, and Turpen [Riggs Abney or the firm], respondent provided legal services to David relating to a stock purchase. The stock of Summit Acceptance Corporation was held in trust. David and his sister were the trust beneficiaries. On 4 May 1994 David purchased her interest in the trust. Respondent represented David during this closing transaction, which was finalized in the offices of the firm. ¶ 8 Employed by the firm since 1988, respondent became a partner in January 1993. The firm merged with another (the Robinson Lewis firm) effective 1 April 1994. Reconciliation of the different accounting and computer systems of the two firms delayed the actual merger until early August 1994. On May 3 or 4 of that year respondent notified the firm that he would be leaving at month's end. The following day, respondent gave written notice. ¶ 9 According to the Shareholder's Agreement the firm would purchase respondent's (shareholder's) share of the stock within thirty days of the notice. Upon withdrawal from the firm, partners were to receive their share of interest in the firm's furniture, fixtures, equipment and cash on hand. Respondent assumed that payment would be made within thirty (30) days of notice, as provided for in the Shareholder's Agreement, which disbursement would have been due on June 3 or June 4. According to respondent, the firm explained that he would not be paid in a timely manner. Respondent received his disbursement ($12,116.27) on August 18 or 19. ¶ 10 On 31 May 1994, after being informed that he would not receive his disbursement in a timely manner and even before any payment from the firm was due, respondent billed his client David on his own letterhead for services performed while employed at the firm. That billing, in the amount of $2,343.75, was concealed for nearly two years until it was uncovered during the course of discovery in a malpractice lawsuit brought by David against the firm and respondent. On 6 June 1996, after respondent's actions had become known to the firm and before any grievance was filed, respondent tendered to the firm a money order for $2,343.75. One factor that appears to have prevented earlier detection of the payment to respondent is a credit that had been issued to the client's account for $2,995.94. This happened shortly before respondent's departure from the firm. It is unknown who authorized that credit or why it was extended. Moreover, respondent did not leave at the firm any paper trail of the billed services.