A Matter Of Perception

An indefinite suspension has been imposed by the Maryland Court of Appeals.

This attorney discipline proceeding involves a lawyer who, in an extensive amount of misconduct, failed to provide competent representation; failed to provide diligent representation in time-sensitive immigration matters and waited months to file documents in three separate immigration cases; failed to keep her clients reasonably informed about the status of their matters, promptly comply with her clients’ reasonable requests for information, and explain matters to the extent reasonably necessary to permit her clients to make informed decisions regarding the representation; charged and collected attorney’s fees for services that she failed to provide to any meaningful degree or at all; failed to deposit attorney’s fees and filing fees into an attorney trust account; failed to deposit attorney’s fees into an attorney trust account prior to those fees’ being earned and without the clients’ informed consent, confirmed in writing, to a different arrangement; failed to reasonably protect her clients’ interests and timely surrender papers and property to which the clients were entitled; and engaged in conduct that would negatively impact the perception of the legal professional of a reasonable member of the public.

The misconduct involved representation of three immigration clients.

 The attorney must wait 90 days to seek reinstatement. (Mike Frisch)