Opinion ID: 2089457
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Virginia Discipline

Text: Under Virginia law, an attorney who resigns from the Bar while charges are pending against him is deemed to have admitted those charges. Va. Sup.Ct. R. Pt. 6, § IV, Para. 13 I. See In re Brickle, 521 A.2d 271 (D.C.1987). Respondent's Petition to Surrender License (Petition) acknowledges the pendency of disciplinary charges against Respondent; states that the Petition shall be deemed an admission of all charges of misconduct pending against him before [the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary] Board, or a District Committee, or a Court; and represents that Respondent has no evidence to offer in his own behalf and could not successfully defend himself. Incorporated by reference in the Petition is the Determination of the Fourth District Committee (Determination) of the Virginia State Bar. According to the Findings of Fact in the Determination, Respondent took title to certain real estate in Virginia in September 1991, and thereafter encumbered the property with second, third, and fourth deeds of trust. By June 1992, he had defaulted on the payments on all three of these deeds of trust. The note holder for the third deed of trust initiated foreclosure proceedings between July 1992 and November 6, 1992, and on November 6, 1992, a trustee's deed was executed on the property. During this latter time period, Respondent met with Mrs. Crystal Okoye and agreed to use this property for a property bond which would enable Mrs. Okoye's husband, Lawrence Okoye, to be released from jail where he was being held pending trial on criminal charges. Mr. Okoye was represented in that matter by another attorney, Andrew Lee, Esquire. Mrs. Okoye paid Respondent $10,000 on or about November 10, 1992, in exchange for the proposed use of the property as collateral. Respondent did not inform her that he no longer held title to the property due to the foreclosure. The bond for Mr. Okoye was denied on January 8, 1993, and Respondent thereafter refused to refund the $10,000 upon request of Mrs. Okoye. The District Committee found that Respondent had violated several of the Disciplinary Rules of the Virginia Code of Professional Responsibility: DR 1-102 (Misconduct); DR 5-103 (Avoiding Acquisition of Interest in Litigation); DR 5-104 (Limiting Business Relations with a Client); and DR 9-102(B) (Preserving Identity of Funds and Property of a Client [or Another]). [2] The Determination was filed with the Virginia State Bar and mailed to Respondent on October 12, 1993. He subsequently filed the Petition on November 9, 1994. In addition to the Okoye matter which was the subject of the Determination, the Virginia State Bar Counsel submitted a letter to the State Bar on November 15, 1994, enumerating five other complaints pending against Respondent: (1) No. 93-041-1068 Ify Ogbonnah Complaint  Allegations of neglect, failure to return client files and unearned legal fees. (2) No. 94-041-0413 Michael Sakyi Complaint  Allegation that check drawn on Respondent's escrow account for client proceeds of personal injury claim was returned for insufficient funds. (3) No. 94-041-0813 Isatu Bangura Complaint  Allegation that Respondent failed to pay medical bills, issued checks drawn on insufficient funds and refused to pay complainant the full amount due on personal injury settlement. (4) No. 94-041-1885 Negib Abadir Complaint  Allegations that Respondent failed to appear in court on retained matter and that Respondent's check for refund of the $500 retainer was returned for insufficient funds. (5) XX-XXX-XXXX Dr. Michael Redlich Complaint  Allegations that Respondent failed to pay physician for medical services provided to Respondent's clients. According to Respondent's Petition and under Virginia law, all of these matters are deemed admitted by his resignation from the Bar.