Opinion ID: 2194380
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: cease and desist order respondent's voluntary compliance

Text: On January 25, 2006, the ODC filed a petition with the Board alleging that the Respondent was engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. Specifically, ODC alleged the Respondent was: (1) acting in a representative capacity in a Delaware legal tribunal or governmental agency; (b) giving legal advice on matters relating to Delaware law; (c) drafting legal documents; and (d) holding himself out as authorized to practice law in Delaware. Board Rule 14 provides that any time after a matter is initially docketed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, the respondent may voluntarily offer an assurance that the respondent shall not engage in the unauthorized practice of law in the State of Delaware. [3] On June 6, 2006, ODC and the Respondent appeared before the Board and jointly submitted a written settlement agreement captioned Admitted Facts and Admissions of Conduct Constituting the Unauthorized Practice of Law (Admissions). In the Admissions, the Respondent agreed that the drafting of wills and trusts by a non-lawyer who is not authorized to practice law by the Delaware Supreme Court constitutes the unauthorized practice of law . . . The Respondent further agreed that acting in a representative capacity in the Register of Wills, giving legal advice on matters relating to Delaware estate law, and drafting legal documents for use in the Register of Wills by a non-lawyer each constitutes the unauthorized practice of law . . . The Respondent agreed that he would not draft wills and trusts, act in a representative capacity in the Register of Wills, give legal advice on matters relating to Delaware estate law, or draft legal documents for use in the Register of Wills and he would not advertise legal services related to `wills,' `trusts,' `estate,' `probate,' `estate administration,' and `estate and probate services' as services provided by his firm in any manner including print ads, yellow pages, billboards, on his letterhead, or elsewhere. On July 31, 2006, the Board submitted its acceptance of the Respondent's Admissions, voluntary assurances and also submitted a proposed consent decree to this Court. We approved the Respondent's voluntary compliance agreement and entered the Cease and Desist Order as a consent degree. Following the entry of this Court's Cease and Desist Order, the Court of Chancery appointed Peter S. Gordon, Esquire, as receiver of the Respondent's unauthorized law practice. [4]