Court Opinion

ID: 9388847
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-04-21 18:08:45.434029+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:23.100249
License: Public Domain

Supreme Court

      In the Matter of James S. Lawrence. :                SU-2023-025-M.P.

                                     ORDER

      On January 20, 2023, this Court’s Disciplinary Counsel (“Counsel”) filed a

Petition pursuant to Article III, Rule 6(e) of the Supreme Court Rules of Disciplinary

Procedure requesting that the Court order the respondent, James S. Lawrence, a

member of the Rhode Island bar, to file an answer to a pending disciplinary

complaint.

      On February 14, 2023, the Court entered an Order reprimanding the

respondent for his failure to answer that complaint and directed him to file an answer

within ten (10) days or his license would be indefinitely suspended without further

notice.

      On February 27, 2023, three days after the February 24, 2023 deadline set in

the Order, the respondent faxed a purported answer to the complaint that failed to

address any of the substantive allegations in the complaint and also falsely indicated

that he had delivered the case file at issue to successor counsel. Counsel’s inquiry

into the delivery of the file proved that respondent had not delivered the file as

claimed.
      On March 1, 2023, Counsel wrote to the respondent to explain that his answer

was non-responsive and thereby insufficient, and that contrary to his representation

about transmitting the file, successor counsel had not received the file he claimed to

have sent. This letter also gave respondent until March 10, 2023 to transfer the file

and provide a substantive response to the disciplinary complaint. To date Counsel

received no further response from respondent.

      On March 13, 2023, successor counsel provided an affidavit that she had not

received the file.

      On March 23, 2023, Counsel brought this matter back before the Court,

seeking the imposition of an indefinite suspension for respondent’s lack of

explanation and misrepresentation to the Court.         Counsel also requested the

appointment of a Special Master to take control of respondent’s active case files and

bank accounts related to his practice of law.

      Accordingly, it is ordered, adjudged, and decreed that the respondent, James

S. Lawrence, is hereby suspended from the practice of law in this state, effective

immediately and until further order of this Court.

      It is further ordered that Matthew Callaghan, Esq., be appointed as Special

Master to take possession of and inventory the respondent’s client files and accounts,

and take whatever steps necessary to protect the client’s interests; including, but not

limited to, returning files to the clients or new counsel of each clients’ choice. The
Special Master is hereby authorized to have full access to respondent’s client files,

accounts, and offices and is further empowered to enter upon the respondent’s

offices in order to effectuate this Order.

      Regarding the respondent’s banking accounts, the Special Master is given sole

and exclusive access to the following accounts heretofore controlled by respondent,

either solely or jointly: business and operating accounts; trust accounts, including

special trust accounts; clients’ accounts; estate accounts; and, any and all other

accounts related to respondent’s law practice that he uses presently or has in the past

utilized for the deposit and maintenance of fiduciary and/or clients’ funds and fee

advances. The foregoing list of accounts shall also include any accounts where the

respondent serves as an agent, special agent, trustee, personal representative,

executor, power of attorney, or custodian. The Special Master shall have sole control

over these above-described accounts, to the exclusion of respondent, until further

order of this Court. By this Order, the Court prohibits respondent or any of his agents

from withdrawing or transferring funds from the aforementioned accounts.

      The Court also hereby orders respondent to fully cooperate with the Special

Master to assist him and his agents in effectuating his duties and directs that any lack

of cooperation on respondent’s behalf be reported to this Court for further action.
Entered as an Order of this Court this 20th Day of April 2023.

                                      By Order,

                                      /s/ Debra A. Saunders
                                      Clerk
                                           STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
                                     SUPREME COURT – CLERK’S OFFICE
                                           Licht Judicial Complex
                                             250 Benefit Street
                                           Providence, RI 02903

                                 ORDER COVER SHEET

Title of Case                        In the Matter of James S. Lawrence.

Case Number                          SU-2023-025-M.P.

Date Order Filed                     April 20, 2023

                                     Suttell, C.J., Goldberg, Robinson, Lynch Prata, and
Justices
                                     Long, JJ.

Source of Appeal                     N/A

Judicial Officer from Lower Court    N/A

                                     For Petitioner:

                                     Kerry Reilley Travers, Esq.
Attorney(s) on Appeal                Chief Disciplinary Counsel
                                     For Respondent:

                                     James S. Lawrence, pro se

SU-CMS-02B (revised November 2022)