Opinion ID: 2398017
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The E. Gault Matter

Text: Ms. E. Gault consulted Respondent about possibly filing for bankruptcy. At that time, Respondent worked as an associate at the Fleming Law Firm. Respondent met with Gault and advised her that she should not file for bankruptcy. Respondent believed Gault left the meeting considering whether to accept her advice. The Fleming Law Firm collected $610.00 from Gault, but Respondent did no work on the file and had no further communication with Gault until after she left the Fleming Law Firm two months later. The client files Respondent took with her to her new practice were determined by Mr. Fleming. Respondent did not take Gault's file. When Gault contacted her several weeks later, Respondent referred her to the Fleming Law Firm, but thereafter someone from the firm delivered Gault's file to Respondent's new office. Respondent again reviewed the matter and advised Gault not to file for bankruptcy. Gault continued to call Respondent's office and, at one point, paid $110.00 to Respondent's secretary. Respondent failed to ensure that Gault understood her advice and failed to take affirmative steps with Fleming to determine which files she was going to handle after her departure. Respondent timely responded to ODC's initial inquiry in this matter, but did not timely respond to the notice of full investigation.