Opinion ID: 2561829
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: mr. bowen waived his claim for relief

Text: ¶ 11 Mr. Bowen first challenged Ms. Greenwood's participation more than eight months after his January 2006 screening panel hearing and nearly four months after the Ethics and Discipline Committee Chair's June 2006 Order of Public Reprimand. Mr. Bowen justifies his delay by explaining that he did not become aware of the conflict until sometime in October 2006. ¶ 12 While there is no formal mechanism for recusal of screening panel members, participating members should be conscientious in identifying and disclosing conflicts of interest, and should recuse themselves when such conflicts exist. A lawyer under investigation by the OPC must also exercise diligence. In many cases such as this, the lawyer being investigated is in a better position to know or to discover whether a conflict exists. Lawyers are, of course, generally aware of those who oppose them in litigation, particularly when they are parties, not merely counsel, in that litigation. A panel member, on the other hand, may not be aware of cases that other attorneys in her firm are involved with that might involve the lawyer under investigation. Thus, the lawyer subject to discipline should make reasonable efforts to discover and raise concerns over possible conflicts and to raise the issue promptly. ¶ 13 In this case, Ms. Greenwood properly identified the name of her firm and was apparently unaware of her partner's litigation involving Mr. Bowen. We are unable to understand why Mr. Bowen, who was currently being sued by James Magleby, failed to inquire whether the Magleby who was Ms. Greenwood's partner was the same individual, and indeed apparently failed to make any such inquiry for more than eight months. ¶ 14 In instances where disciplinary actions are made through the formal complaint process, a dissatisfied lawyer has thirty days to petition for review pursuant to rule 14-511 of the Supreme Court Rules of Professional Practice and rule 4 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure. Similarly, appeals from other disciplinary proceedings, such as a character and fitness evaluation, a bar examination appeal, or a denial of a bar application must also be made within thirty days. We are not persuaded that a lawyer involved in an informal complaint proceeding is entitled to greater latitude in seeking review than are those involved in formal complaint or other disciplinary proceedings. We conclude that Mr. Bowen's delay in raising the issue of Ms. Greenwood's conflict was not reasonable and constituted waiver of his claim for relief. Although Mr. Bowen testified that he was not aware of the conflict at the time of the hearing, we believe that he was, in fact, put on notice of a potential conflict by Ms. Greenwood's identification of her firm and should have exercised the due diligence necessary to discover the conflict. Therefore, we hold that Mr. Bowen is not entitled to relief. The petition is denied. ¶ 15 Associate Chief Justice WILKINS, Justice DURRANT, Justice PARRISH, and Justice Nehring concur in Chief Justice DURHAM'S opinion.