Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Ass'n v. Hildebrand , 127 Ohio St. 3d 304 ( 2010 )


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  • [Cite as Cleveland Metro. Bar Assn. v. Hildebrand, 
    127 Ohio St. 3d 304
    , 2010-Ohio-5712.]
    CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN BAR ASSOCIATION v. HILDEBRAND.
    [Cite as Cleveland Metro. Bar Assn. v. Hildebrand,
    
    127 Ohio St. 3d 304
    , 2010-Ohio-5712.]
    Attorney misconduct, including failing to comply as soon as practicable with a
    client’s reasonable request for information, collecting a clearly excessive
    fee, failing to promptly deliver funds that the client is entitled to receive,
    and failing to cooperate in a disciplinary investigation — Permanent
    disbarment.
    (No. 2010-1199 — Submitted September 15, 2010 — Decided December 1,
    2010.)
    ON CERTIFIED REPORT by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and
    Discipline of the Supreme Court, No. 09-071.
    __________________
    Per Curiam.
    {¶ 1} Respondent, John Patrick Hildebrand Jr., Attorney Registration
    No. 0068874, whose last known business address is in Fairview Park, Ohio, was
    admitted to the practice of law in Ohio in 1997. In November 2009, we imposed
    an attorney-registration suspension upon him for failure to file a certificate of
    registration and pay applicable fees on or before September 1, 2009, in
    accordance with Gov.Bar R. VI. See In re Hildebrand, 
    123 Ohio St. 3d 1475
    ,
    2009-Ohio-5786, 
    915 N.E.2d 1256
    .
    {¶ 2} On August 17, 2009, relator, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar
    Association, filed a complaint charging respondent with 16 counts of professional
    misconduct arising from his representation of three separate clients.                     The
    complaint alleged that he accepted a retainer from each of these clients, failed to
    provide any meaningful professional services, failed to advise his clients of his
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    progress, failed to timely deliver the clients’ files to them upon request, and failed
    to cooperate in the ensuing disciplinary investigations.
    {¶ 3} The complaint was served on respondent at his last known business
    address, and the certified-mail receipt was signed by M.A. Szoradi on August 21,
    2009. Because respondent failed to file an answer to the complaint, relator moved
    for default judgment on February 24, 2010. In support of its motion, relator
    submitted affidavits from Heather Zirke, assistant bar counsel, Steven
    Wasserman, relator’s investigator, the three grievants, and two other persons, as
    well as copies of correspondence between the Office of Disciplinary Counsel and
    the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
    {¶ 4} A master commissioner appointed by the board considered the
    motion for default and prepared a report containing findings of fact and
    misconduct and recommending that respondent be permanently disbarred. The
    board adopted the master commissioner’s report in its entirety. We agree that
    respondent has committed professional misconduct as found by the master
    commissioner and the board and that permanent disbarment is warranted.
    Misconduct
    Client One
    {¶ 5} In March 2007, a woman retained respondent to represent her son
    in a criminal appeal and to have her son’s bond reduced. By March 15, the
    woman had paid respondent $5,000. And although he received an additional $900
    as a cost deposit for the trial transcript, respondent did not forward the payment to
    the court reporter. The day before the trial transcript was due in the court of
    appeals, the client discovered that respondent had not filed it. The client’s fiancée
    borrowed $900 and paid the court reporter for the transcript. Respondent advised
    the fiancée that he would reimburse her when she delivered the transcript to his
    office for copying, but he did not do so. Despite repeated requests from the
    client’s mother, respondent did not refund the $900 cost deposit.
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    January Term, 2010
    {¶ 6} Respondent also ignored repeated requests from the client’s mother
    for information regarding the status of the appeal and claimed that she owed him
    additional money for work performed. After the appellate court dismissed the
    client’s appeal, the client, through his mother, terminated respondent’s
    representation and obtained new counsel. Respondent failed to heed requests to
    forward the client’s file to the new attorney.
    {¶ 7} In October 2008, the client’s mother filed a grievance with relator.
    Respondent, however, ignored letters and telephone calls requesting his written
    response to the grievance and copies of his client file. After being served with a
    subpoena duces tecum for his file, accounting records, and proof of professional-
    liability insurance, respondent sent a letter seeking an extension of time and
    promising to provide the requested materials by January 30, 2009.             As of
    February the following year, respondent had not provided the subpoenaed
    materials.
    {¶ 8} The master commissioner and board found that respondent’s
    conduct violated Prof.Cond.R. 1.3 (requiring a lawyer to act with reasonable
    diligence in representing a client), 1.4(a)(3) (requiring a lawyer to keep his client
    reasonably informed about the status of a matter), 1.4(a)(4) (requiring a lawyer to
    comply as soon as practicable with reasonable requests for information from the
    client), 1.5(a) (prohibiting a lawyer from making an agreement for, charging, or
    collecting an illegal or clearly excessive fee), 1.15 (requiring a lawyer to preserve
    the identity of client funds and property and promptly deliver funds or other
    property that the client is entitled to receive), and 8.1(b) (prohibiting a lawyer
    from knowingly failing to respond to a demand for information by a disciplinary
    authority during an investigation) and Gov.Bar R. V(4)(G) (requiring a lawyer to
    cooperate with a disciplinary investigation).
    Client Two
    3
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    {¶ 9} In March 2008, a man retained respondent to represent him in a
    replevin action against a former girlfriend.        The client provided him with a
    detailed list of the personal property he sought to recover and paid a retainer of
    $500 plus a cost deposit of $125. Respondent never filed the replevin action,
    never responded to the client’s numerous efforts to communicate with him, and
    did not refund the client’s money.
    {¶ 10} In August 2008, the client filed a grievance with relator. Relator
    sent respondent letters via certified and regular mail requesting his written
    response to the grievance. On September 24, 2008, assistant counsel for relator
    spoke with respondent, who claimed that he continued to represent the client and
    promised to submit a written response by October 1, 2008, explaining the steps
    that he had taken to resolve the matter. When counsel for relator spoke with him
    two days later, respondent claimed to have sent the written summary by mail, and
    on October 6, 2008, when relator had not received it, respondent faxed relator his
    written response.
    {¶ 11} In the subpoena duces tecum that relator issued with respect to the
    client in count one, relator also requested a copy of respondent’s file, accounting
    records, and proof of professional-liability insurance with respect to the client in
    count two. Although respondent promised to provide the requested materials by
    January 30, 2009, he did not do so. Based upon these facts, which are contained
    in the affidavits of the client, relator’s investigator, and relator’s assistant counsel,
    the master commissioner and board concluded that respondent’s conduct violated
    Prof.Cond.R. 1.3, 1.4(a)(3) and (4), 1.5(a), and 8.1(b) and Gov.Bar R. V(4)(G).
    Client Three
    {¶ 12} In late November or early December 2008, a third client sought
    respondent’s assistance with a domestic-relations matter. Respondent cashed a
    $200 check that the client’s father had sent as a payment toward his quoted fee of
    $500. After accepting this money, respondent failed to respond to the client’s
    4
    January Term, 2010
    numerous telephone calls. Unable to schedule an appointment with respondent,
    the client had to retain new counsel just days before a scheduled court appearance.
    Although the client’s father left numerous telephone messages and sent
    respondent a certified letter demanding return of his $200, respondent did not
    refund the money.
    {¶ 13} In February 2009, the client’s father filed a grievance with relator.
    Respondent did not respond to a letter from relator’s investigator requesting a
    copy of the client’s file and a meeting to discuss the matter.
    {¶ 14} Based upon these facts, which were set forth in affidavits from the
    client, the client’s father, relator’s investigator, and relator’s assistant counsel,
    both the master commissioner and board concluded that respondent’s conduct
    violated Prof.Cond.R. 1.3, 1.4(a)(3) and (4), 1.5(a), and 8.1(b) and Gov.Bar R.
    V(4)(G).
    Additional Efforts to Communicate with Respondent
    {¶ 15} On July 22, 2009, relator sent respondent a notice of intent to file a
    formal complaint with the board via regular and certified mail and explained that
    he was required to submit a response no later than August 3, 2009, if he wished
    the probable-cause panel to consider it. The certified letter was delivered on July
    23, 2009, and the letter sent by regular mail was not returned to relator as
    undeliverable.
    {¶ 16} On August 4, relator received a fax from respondent, who claimed
    that he had been unable to timely respond to the formal complaint because he had
    been in a car accident. The next day, relator advised respondent that a complaint
    would be submitted to the board and that he should send his written response to
    the board by August 14 if he wished it to be considered by the probable-cause
    panel. Respondent submitted a written response to relator on that date, but did not
    submit this response to the board. On October 9, 2009, relator sent respondent,
    via certified and regular mail, a notice of intent to file a motion for default. The
    5
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    certified letter was delivered the next day, and the letter sent by regular mail was
    not returned as undeliverable.
    {¶ 17} The board sent respondent a copy of its findings of fact and
    conclusions of law and recommendation, and on July 21, 2010, this court issued
    an order to show cause, advising respondent that any objections to the board
    report were due within 20 days of that order. No objections have been filed.
    Sanction
    {¶ 18} When imposing sanctions for attorney misconduct, we consider
    relevant factors, including the ethical duties that the lawyer violated and the
    sanctions imposed in similar cases. Stark Cty. Bar Assn. v. Buttacavoli, 96 Ohio
    St.3d 424, 2002-Ohio-4743, 
    775 N.E.2d 818
    , ¶ 16.                           In making a final
    determination, we also weigh evidence of the aggravating and mitigating factors
    listed in Section 10(B) of the Rules and Regulations Governing Procedure on
    Complaints and Hearings Before the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and
    Discipline (“BCGD Proc.Reg.”). Disciplinary Counsel v. Broeren, 115 Ohio
    St.3d 473, 2007-Ohio-5251, 
    875 N.E.2d 935
    , ¶ 21.
    {¶ 19} No mitigating factors are present.                    See BCGD Proc.Reg.
    10(B)(2)(a) through (h). The board found as aggravating factors that respondent
    is currently under a registration suspension and was previously suspended by this
    court in 2005 for failure to register.               BCGD Proc.Reg. 10(B)(1)(a);             In re
    Hildebrand, 
    123 Ohio St. 3d 1475
    , 2009-Ohio-5786, 
    915 N.E.2d 1256
    ; and In re
    Hildebrand, 
    107 Ohio St. 3d 1431
    , 2005-Ohio-6408, 
    838 N.E.2d 671
    .1 He has
    committed multiple ethical violations, and his misconduct has caused economic
    harm to all the affected clients and jeopardized the appeal rights of one client.
    BCGD Proc.Reg. 10(B)(1)(d) and (h). He has failed to cooperate and has made
    1. Although the board also noted that respondent has previously been suspended for failing to
    meet the requirements regarding continuing legal education, we observe that Gov.Bar R. X(5)(C)
    prohibits consideration of this fact in the imposition of disciplinary sanctions pursuant Gov.Bar R.
    V(8).
    6
    January Term, 2010
    false statements during the course of these disciplinary proceedings. BCGD
    Proc.Reg. 10(B)(1)(e) and (f). We accept these findings.
    {¶ 20} Respondent has collected fees from clients and failed to perform
    the agreed-upon services. He has ignored his clients’ inquiries about the status of
    their cases and their requests for refunds when it became apparent that he was not
    performing any work on their behalf. He has made false statements to relator
    regarding his intentions to respond to the resulting grievances and failed to
    provide any meaningful cooperation in the resulting disciplinary proceedings.
    Moreover, his limited participation in relator’s investigation demonstrates that his
    disregard of the disciplinary process was intentional.
    {¶ 21} “Taking retainers and failing to carry out contracts of employment
    is tantamount to theft of the fee from the client,” and permanent disbarment is the
    “presumptive disciplinary measure for such acts.”         Cincinnati Bar Assn. v.
    Weaver, 
    102 Ohio St. 3d 264
    , 2004-Ohio-2683, 
    809 N.E.2d 1113
    , ¶ 16. See also
    Disciplinary Counsel v. Horan, 
    123 Ohio St. 3d 60
    , 2009-Ohio-4177, 
    914 N.E.2d 175
    , ¶ 22; Warren Cty. Bar Assn. v. Marshall, 
    121 Ohio St. 3d 197
    , 2009-Ohio-
    501, 
    903 N.E.2d 280
    , ¶ 20-21; Cleveland Bar Assn. v. Helfgott, 
    109 Ohio St. 3d 360
    , 2006-Ohio-2579, 
    847 N.E.2d 1212
    , ¶ 17-18; and Columbus Bar Assn. v.
    Moushey, 
    104 Ohio St. 3d 427
    , 2004-Ohio-6897, 
    819 N.E.2d 1112
    , ¶ 16.
    {¶ 22} Having reviewed the record and the sanctions imposed for
    comparable conduct and considered the aggravating factors and the complete
    absence of mitigating evidence, we adopt the board’s findings of fact, conclusions
    of law, and recommended sanction.
    {¶ 23} Accordingly, John Patrick Hildebrand Jr. is permanently disbarred
    from the practice of law in the state of Ohio. Costs are taxed to respondent.
    Judgment accordingly.
    BROWN,     C.J.,   and   PFEIFER,       LUNDBERG   STRATTON,    O’CONNOR,
    LANZINGER, and CUPP, JJ., concur.
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    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    O’DONNELL, J., dissents and would indefinitely suspend the respondent
    from the practice of law in Ohio.
    __________________
    Squire, Sanders, & Dempsey, L.L.P., Rebecca W. Haverstick, and Robert
    E. Haffke, for relator.
    ______________________
    8
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 2010-1199

Citation Numbers: 2010 Ohio 5712, 127 Ohio St. 3d 304, 939 N.E.2d 823

Judges: Brown, Pfeifer, Stratton, O'Connor, Lanzinger, Cupp, O'Donnell, Ohio

Filed Date: 12/1/2010

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 10/19/2024