Opinion ID: 2319358
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: MRPC 8.4(c)

Text: Respondent contends that he did not violate Rule 8.4(c) of the MRPC, because he was within his rights to maintain a side practice in addition to his work at B & S. Respondent justifies his conduct by explaining that his Of Counsel relationship with B & S permitted him to maintain a side practice, in addition to his work at B & S. This Court has never had occasion to define the Of Counsel relationship, however, this relationship has been discussed by the Court of Special Appeals, [12] and acknowledged in the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct. [13] The Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) Ethics Committee explained in a formal opinion that the `of counsel' designation denotes a close and continuing relationship with a firm, but not as a member of the firm, either as a partner or as an associate. MSBA Ethics Comm., Formal Op. 94-49 (1994). [14] The MSBA's ethics opinions clearly state that the Of Counsel attorney must at all times accurately represent his or her jurisdictional limitations, relationship to the firm, and the professional capacity in which he or she is representing a client. MSBA Ethics Comm., Formal Op. 97-2 (1996). Even if we were to assume, arguendo, that Respondent was Of Counsel to B & S, and that his relationship with B & S permitted him to maintain a side practice, Respondent's conduct as displayed here, nonetheless, was deceptive, misleading and unethical. The observations of the Court of Special Appeals in Homa v. Friendly Mobile Manor are illustrative of how an attorney Of Counsel to a firm may maintain a side practice in addition to his or her work at the firm. 93 Md.App. 337, 612 A.2d 322 (1992). In that case, the court acknowledged that the Of Counsel attorney clearly stated in all client and firm communications whether he was acting individually or in his capacity as attorney Of Counsel to the firm. Homa at 361, 612 A.2d at 334. The court determined that the attorney had kept his side practice entirely separate from his work as Of Counsel to the firm, and that the firm did not have any financial interest in the attorney's side practice. Homa at 361-63, 612 A.2d at 335. The court further pointed out that the attorney retained his side practice clients by way of his own reputation, and not as a result of his Of Counsel relationship with the firm. Homa at 362-63, 612 A.2d at 335. In contrast, Respondent did not accurately represent the capacity in which he was representing certain clients, failed to separate his side practice clients and legal fees from his work at B & S, and used his relationship with B & S to retain clients for his personal benefit. Accordingly, our assumption that Respondent was permitted to maintain a side practice does not disturb the hearing judge's findings that Respondent misappropriated legal fees and used B & S resources for the benefit of his side practice, or otherwise failed to take affirmative steps to avoid the appearance that the clients he represented were not B & S clients. In addition, Respondent contends that he did not deposit unearned sums of money into his personal account. As we stated in our response to Respondent's seventh and eleventh exceptions to the findings of fact above, Respondent has not presented any persuasive evidence to contradict the hearing judge's finding that Respondent willfully deposited, as his own funds, advanced fee payments into his personal account, to be consumed, prior to earning the fees. Accordingly, we overrule Respondent's exception, and agree with the hearing judge's conclusions that Respondent violated Rule 8.4(c) of the MRPC.