Opinion ID: 1800005
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: ) Neglect of Mrs. Picquet's Legal Matter

Text: The bar association alleges that respondent neglected a legal matter entrusted to her and failed to carry out an agreement of employment in violation of Disciplinary Rules 7-101(A)(2) and 6-101(A)(3). Respondent was retained by Mrs. Ethel Picquet in October of 1984 to represent her in a claim for damages against the Housing Authority of New Orleans. Mrs. Picquet claimed that $3000 worth of her possessions had been stolen during a move. Respondent did file a complaint and interrogatories against HANO, and HANO filed an answer denying all the allegations. The evidence shows that Mrs. Picquet sent a letter in September of 1985 to the Committee, complaining that she had been unable to contact respondent by phone or at her office to obtain news about her case, that she did not know how to contact her, and that she needed her papers. Respondent claims that HANO gave notice of the taking of Mrs. Picquet's deposition in October of 1985, but Mrs. Picquet refused to attend. Respondent claims that at that point she told Mrs. Picquet that she would no longer represent her, sent her a copy of her file, and filed a motion to withdraw as counsel of record. The evidence shows that respondent sent a letter to Mrs. Picquet in October of 1985 (after a complaint had been filed with the Committee) notifying her that she was no longer representing her and would soon be filing a motion to withdraw as counsel of record, but respondent had no evidence to show that a motion to withdraw was actually ever filed. Mrs. Picquet did not testify before the Committee. In light of the evidence that Mrs. Picquet failed to attend a scheduled deposition and that respondent sent her a letter terminating her representation, we do not find that there is clear and convincing evidence that respondent failed to carry out an employment contract or neglected a client matter in connection with her representation of Mrs. Picquet.