Penalty For Client Abandonment

An attorney who had failed to follow through in four retained matters was suspended for six months by the Georgia Supreme Court. The court found mitigation in that the attorney was remorseful and “was suffering significant marital difficulties, which now have been resolved…” Two justices, including the Chief Justice, viewed the suspension as inadequate: “Given [his] admitted abandonment of four clients, I believe the only appropriate punishment is disbarment.”   In two unrelated matters linked here and here, the court disbarred attorneys who had engaged in somewhat similar misconduct but had failed to participate in the disciplinary proceedings. (Mike Frisch)