Opinion ID: 1199889
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 23

Heading: DR 6-101(B): Neglect Of Legal Matter Entrusted To Lawyer

Text: A lawyer's failure to take action after being retained by a client for legal services constitutes neglect, in violation of DR 6-101(B). In re Purvis, 306 Or. 522, 524-25, 760 P.2d 254 (1988); In re Thies, 305 Or. 104, 108-09, 111, 750 P.2d 490 (1988). The Bar must prove only a course of negligent conduct to establish a violation of DR 6-101(B). In re Collier, 295 Or. 320, 329-30, 667 P.2d 481 (1983). The Bar provided clear and convincing evidence that the accused neglected the cases he undertook for 17 different clients during the period of January through July 1990, including the accused's admissions that he did not perform the services for which he was retained. We, therefore, find that the accused violated DR 6-101(B) as to those 17 cases. 5. DR 2-110(B)(3): Failure To Withdraw From Employment Because Of Mental Or Emotional Condition DR 2-110(A)(2): Failure To Avoid Foreseeable Prejudice To Client On Withdrawal From Employment DR 2-110(B)(3) requires a lawyer to withdraw from employment when the lawyer's physical or mental condition renders it unreasonably difficult for the lawyer to carry out employment effectively. In re Loew, 296 Or. 328, 334, 676 P.2d 294 (1984). DR 2-110(A)(2) requires a lawyer to take reasonable steps to avoid the foreseeable prejudice to the rights of the lawyer's client when the lawyer withdraws from representation. The accused admitted that his mental condition and excessive usage of alcohol rendered it unreasonably difficult for him to effectively carry out his employment by the 22 clients identified supra. The accused further admitted that he ceased practicing law on July 31, 1990, but he took no steps to avoid foreseeable prejudice to the rights of those clients. With respect to his separate employment by each of the 22 clients, therefore, the accused violated DR 2-110(B)(2) and DR 2-110(A)(3).