Opinion ID: 1283348
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Robert Ginter

Text: Robert Ginter retained Wintroub on February 24, 2004. A written fee agreement signed by Ginter provided for a non-refundable fee in the amount of $4,000.00 and for an additional one-third contingency fee of any amounts recovered in a lawsuit. Wintroub filed a complaint on behalf of Ginter in the U.S. District Court on April 5, 2005. Ginter terminated Wintroub's representation on June 3 and requested a refund of the unearned portion of the fee. No refund has been made. The formal charges alleged that Wintroub's conduct violated his oath of office as an attorney and Neb. Ct. R. of Prof. Cond. § 3-501.1 (competence) and §§ 3-501.3 (diligence) and 3-501.16 (declining or terminating representation). We note that because Wintroub's conduct occurred prior to September 1, 2005, the charges should have been based on the Code of Professional Responsibility. [2] It appears that the referee may have recognized this, as he concluded that due to the conflicting evidence in the record, the only disciplinary violation proved by clear and convincing evidence was Wintroub's neglect of a legal matter for failing to timely file the complaint. The referee cited the correct provision, Canon 6, DR 6-101(A)(3), which prohibits a lawyer from [n]eglect[ing] a legal matter entrusted to him or her.