Opinion ID: 2584940
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Incompetent Representation

Text: ¶ 27 The PRT also determined that Respondent failed to competently represent his client in violation of Rule 1.1, ORPC. The fact that the Bar did not charge a violation of a particular rule of conduct is not fatal to this Court's determination that Respondent violated that rule. State ex rel. Okla. Bar Ass'n v. Malloy, 2006 OK 38, ¶ 12 n. 5, 142 P.3d 383, 387 n. 5. It is sufficient if the Bar has alleged facts to put an attorney on notice of the violation and has allowed him an opportunity to respond. Id. Because Respondent's primary defense was incompetence-complete ignorance of the fundamentals of managing a trust account-notice is not an issue. The stipulated facts provide clear and convincing evidence that Respondent did not competently represent his client. If we found otherwise, we would be forced to conclude that Respondent's simple conversion rose to the level of misappropriation (with resulting disbarment). See Arnold, 2003 OK 31, ¶ 21, 72 P.3d at 14.