Opinion ID: 2364343
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Increase in recommended suspension

Text: ¶ 80 Finally, Ferguson challenges the Board's decision to increase the suspension from 30 days to 90 days. The decision to increase the suspension was unanimous; however, two members of the Board voted to increase the suspension to 180 days rather than 90 days. The Board's decision, particularly a unanimous one, is entitled to great deference and, for reasons discussed above, Ferguson has not presented any `clear reason for departure.' Hicks, 166 Wash.2d at 784, 214 P.3d 897 (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting In re Disciplinary Proceeding Against Behrman, 165 Wash.2d 414, 422, 197 P.3d 1177 (2008)). Furthermore, the Board's decision is supported by a reasoned analysis. Standards std. 2.3 states that [g]enerally suspension should be for a period of time equal to or greater than six months. After considering aggravating and mitigating factors, the hearing officer concluded that there [was] no basis to depart from the presumptive standard but then inexplicably recommended a 30 day rather than 90 day suspension. DP at 29. The Board noted this inconsistency. ¶ 81 The Board also compared Ferguson's case to Carmick, 146 Wash.2d 582, 48 P.3d 311, in which the court upheld the Board's 60 day suspension for similar conduct. The Board in Carmick found seven aggravating factors and one mitigating factor, but this court reduced the aggravating factors to three. Id. at 605, 48 P.3d 311. Despite the reduction in aggravating factors, the Carmick court upheld the Board's 60 day suspension as consistent with the sanctions imposed on other attorneys for similar conduct and is not clearly excessive. Id. at 607, 48 P.3d 311. The Board in Ferguson's case found a 90 day suspension in proportion to and consistent with this Court's ruling in Carmick. DP at 33. ¶ 82 The Board did not err in adopting the hearing officer's findings on aggravating and mitigating factors or by increasing the suspension from 30 to 90 days. We adopt the Board's recommendation for a 90 day suspension and a reprimand.