No Suspension For Misconduct In Two Matters

The Georgia Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded an attorney for misconduct in two matters.

No  suspension because

In mitigation, Brown asserts that she has no prior disciplinary history, that she is very remorseful, and that she has fully cooperated with the State Bar during these disciplinary proceedings. Further, with regard to the divorce case, Brown accepts responsibility for her misconduct in the handling of funds that should have been placed in a trust account, but denies any dishonest or selfish motivation in that regard. She notes that any delay in disbursing the funds to the husband was an effort to protect her client and to comply with her client’s refusal to authorize unrestricted disbursement of those funds. She further notes that once the parties agreed on the consent order, she promptly disbursed to the husband’s attorney all funds due. With regard the employment case, Brown accepts responsibility for her lack of diligence, but offers in mitigation that after she filed the employment case, her elderly father became ill, and that her mistakes in that case were not the result of a dishonest or sinister motive, but of the personal and emotional distress she endured because of her father’s illness and the logistics of assisting him in obtaining the necessary medical treatment. Brown has submitted three letters and two affidavits attesting to her good character, integrity, trustworthiness, professionalism, and competenc.

The State Bar had noted that the attorney had substantial experience and favored a six-month suspension. (Mike Frisch)