Opinion ID: 2009876
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Wyttenback Matter

Text: The first matter involves Westby's representation of Shirley Rose Wyttenback. In 1997, before Westby was suspended from the practice of law, Wyttenback contacted Westby about a marriage dissolution. Wyttenback filled out a client inventory form and mailed it to Westby. Based on the information in the questionnaire, Westby drafted a marriage dissolution petition, but heard nothing further from Wyttenback. Wyttenback testified, and the referee found, that Wyttenback did not enter into a written fee agreement with Westby. In the spring of 1998, Wyttenback's brother telephoned Westby to determine why his sister's marriage dissolution had not commenced. Westby told the brother that the dissolution could not get started until she received a retainer. At Westby's direction, the brother then wired $1,900 to Westby's personal bank account. The brother testified, and the referee found, that Westby never informed him that she was suspended from the practice of law. After receiving the funds, Westby asked Thomas Rowe, an attorney and Westby's ex-husband, to sign the dissolution petition. The referee found that Westby, in order to get Rowe to sign the petition, falsely told Rowe that she was about to be reinstated to the practice of law. The referee also found that Westby caused the petition to be filed with the court. After using $210.80 of the $1,900 to pay expenses for Wyttenback, Westby withdrew the remaining funds from her personal bank account to pay for personal expenses. At the referee's hearing, Westby testified that she used the money to reimburse herself for insurance premiums she paid on Rowe's behalf. However, the referee found that none of the specific funds received from Wyttenback's brother were used to pay the premiums. The referee found that Westby has not refunded the balance of the funds to Wyttenback or her brother. The referee concluded that Westby's conduct with respect to Wyttenback violated Minn. R. Prof. Conduct 1.4, 1.15(a), 3.4(c), 5.5(a), 8.4(c), and 8.4(d) and Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board Opinion 15.