Opinion ID: 2334156
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Greenberg Matter

Text: On May 1, 1984, Richard Greenberg retained respondent to appeal from and/or to file a motion for reconsideration of a decision concerning his summer visitation with his son and other matters relating to a joint custody arrangement which he shared with his former wife. Respondent informed Greenberg that she would attempt to have the decision reconsidered, rather than file an appeal. Pursuant to Greenberg's testimony, he repeatedly telephoned and wrote to respondent, requesting copies of all papers that she had prepared on his behalf. His telephone calls and letters produced no response from respondent. Acting on the advice of respondent, Greenberg appeared in court on June 15, 1984, the alleged return date of the motion for reconsideration. The matter, however, was not listed on the court's calendar for that day, for the simple reason that respondent still had not filed the motion. On June 29, 1984, respondent again advised Greenberg that he should appear in court for the return date of the motion. At the courthouse, respondent informed Greenberg that his former wife had made an ex parte application for an adjournment of the motion, which had been granted. On July 15, 1984, Greenberg appeared in court for the third time, arriving at 9:30 a.m., pursuant to respondent's instructions. Upon entering the courthouse, Greenberg was informed by respondent that the motion had already been heard, that his former wife had appeared for oral argument, and that the court had ordered a plenary hearing. This was untrue. Greenberg was subsequently advised by his wife that she had not been in court on that date. When Greenberg attempted to obtain a transcript of the oral argument, he discovered that no papers had been filed with the court. On September 1, 1984, Greenberg terminated respondent's representation and hired new counsel, who filed a new application on his behalf. Additionally, on numerous occasions respondent failed to communicate with Greenberg about the status of the matter. Greenberg's telephone calls and letters to respondent remained unanswered. At the conclusion of the ethics hearing, the presentment found that respondent had failed to communicate with her client, had failed to act in his best interest, had failed to carry out her contract of employment, had acted with gross negligence, and had made several misrepresentations to her client.