Opinion ID: 2523793
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: COUNT 7 Michelle Johnson

Text: ¶ 25 Michelle Johnson filed a grievance on January 16, 2009, with the Office of the General Counsel that alleged she paid the respondent a retainer of $800.00 on August 23, 2008, to file for a removal of condition on her permanent resident card. This amount was to pay for filing fees and initial work. The respondent did not return any of Ms. Johnson's phone calls and did not provide any proof the filing had been made. Because the filing was not made in a timely manner, her immigration status was in jeopardy. Ms. Johnson was forced to obtain new counsel at further expense. Her new lawyer learned that Ms. Johnson's visa had expired because of the respondent's neglect. ¶ 26 The respondent was suspended from the practice of law on June 30, 2008, for failure to comply with MCLE requirements. During her deposition on September 19, 2008, she assured counsel for the complainant that she was not practicing law. The facts reveal that she had taken Ms. Johnson's retainer less than two months after she had been suspended from the practice of law and less than a month before her deposition where she testified she had not been practicing law. ¶ 27 The respondent's acts of misconduct in Count 3 constitute professional misconduct in violation of Rules 1.3, 1.5, 5.5, 8.4(c) and 8.4(d), ORPC, 5 O.S.2001, as modified by 5 O.S.Supp.2008, ch. 1, app. 3-A, and Rules 1.3, RGDP, 5 O.S.2001, ch. 1, app. 1-A.