Court Opinion

ID: 9563617
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 18:43:31.121298+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:58.323228
License: Public Domain

Benham, Chief Justice,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
Because I disagree with the rejection of the review panel’s recommendation in Case No. S97Y0837, I must dissent from that por*256tion of the majority opinion. I concur, however, with the resolution of Case Nos. S97Y0838 and S97Y1037. I write separately to point out State Bar programs available to assist lawyers in managing their law practices.
1. Case No S97Y0837
Unlike the majority opinion which rejects the recommendation of the review panel, I would adopt the recommendation of the review panel which found that no attorney-client relationship existed; therefore, no violation of Standards 4, 22 (b), 24, 44 and 45 occurred. Only in clear and unmistakable cases should this Court substitute its judgment for that of the review panel. Such is not the case here, so I must respectfully dissent.
2. Case Nos. S97Y0838 and S97Y1037
While I agree with the majority opinion that disbarable offenses have occurred in the above-mentioned cases, I write separately to express a concern for lawyers who run afoul of bar rules due not to their incompetence as lawyers, but due to their lack of familiarity with proper business practices and management techniques and their inattention to detail in the operation of their law offices.
All too often lawyers find themselves embroiled in disciplinary proceedings because they have undertaken the representation of a client without fully investigating the matter, taken on too many cases without proper backup staff, failed to keep in contact with their clients, procrastinated in the handling of a legal matter, failed to timely respond to discovery requests, failed to appear in court on behalf of their clients, failed to respond to bar complaints, failed to properly account for client funds, failed to separate client funds from their own funds, and failed to keep proper records of their transactions, just to name a few problems caused by inattention to detail in the practice of law. These lawyers may have an excellent knowledge of the law, but they fail to familiarize themselves with the ethical and professional requirements necessary for a successful practice. In addition, they fail to acquaint themselves with proper business practices in the operation of a law office.
Unfortunately, too many lawyers are unfamiliar with the many programs offered by the State Bar of Georgia to assist lawyers in the operation of a successful law office, and they fail to inquire about available programs before a crisis occurs. As a result, they often find themselves facing disciplinary actions over matters easily avoidable by simply taking advantage of programs offered by the State Bar of Georgia. Such is maybe the case here.
In hopes that similar situations will be avoided in the future, I outline below helpful programs provided by the State Bar of Georgia to assist lawyers:
*257Decided June 30, 1997 —
Reconsideration denied July 24, 1997.
William P. Smith III, General Counsel State Bar, Steven J. *258Kaczkowski, Assistant General Counsel State Bar, for State Bar of Georgia.
*257A. Ethics School — This school was established in 1996 to provide educational opportunities to help lawyers avoid serious disciplinary actions. The course identifies problem areas for lawyers and teaches them practice methods that will prevent disciplinary problems. The course includes the following topics: establishing a lawyer/client relationship, setting fees, maintaining confidences/secrets, responding to grievances, handling withdrawal from representation, communicating with others, supervising subordinate lawyers, handling client property, understanding trust account rules, managing a law office, assuring client satisfaction, and handling fee disputes.
B. Fee Arbitration Program — This program was established in 1979 to handle fee disputes between clients and lawyers. A method is provided for handling fee disputes without the expense of litigation.
C. Lawyer Assistance Program — This program began in 1983 and it is designed to assist lawyers with substance abuse problems. The goal is to intervene before lawyers cause harm to themselves or their clients.
D. General Counsel’s Ethics Help Line — When lawyers question whether a particular course of action is ethical, they can call this Ethics Help Line for assistance before pursuing a particular course of action. The staff attorneys will discuss the facts and ethical issues and render an informal advisory opinion on the propriety of the contemplated conduct. The goal of this program is to aid lawyers in preventing potential ethical violations by discussing the hazards of certain conduct.
E. Law Practice Management Program — Established in 1995, this program employs a full-time consultant and research assistant to help lawyers handle routine problems faced by lawyers in the operation of the business side of the practice of law. The program also works directly with the Office of the General Counsel to assist lawyers whose actions may give rise to disciplinary problems.
If lawyers avail themselves of these programs they may be able to avoid the problems encountered in these disciplinary actions.
*258Tony L. Axam, for Finley.