Solicitation Leads To Resignation

An attorney’s resignation from the Bar was accepted by the Oklahoma Supreme Court

The respondent acknowledges she is aware there are proceedings involving allegations that there exist grounds for discipline, specifically as follows. In Count I, the Bar Association alleges that the respondent improperly by live telephone, and in person solicited Tyler Williams for employment in his personal injury case, while he was hospitalized for his injuries. She represented to him that she had obtained his name and information from a “Christian” organization, which conveyed to her that he needed to have legal questions answered. She had him sign a contingency fee contract on June 17, 2014, and he remained hospitalized until his discharge on June 20, 2014. The organization called “Victim’s Hope” was created, established, organized and controlled by the respondent as a means to solicit business for her. She paid the employee of Victim’s Hope to recommend her services and to forward information regarding prospective clients. Count II alleges that from approximately 2008 through 2012 the respondent improperly obtained Department of Public Safety media emails by establishing and controlling fictitious media outlets solely for the purpose of obtaining and forwarding accident report information to employee(s) of her law firm in order to solicit professional employment. Count III alleges that she obtained confidential accident report information for the purpose of making a commercial solicitation in violation of 47 O.S.2011, § 40-102. The allegations would constitute violations of Rules 1.16(a), 7.2(b), 7.3(a), 8.4(b), and 8.4(c) of the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct (ORPC), 5 O.S. 2011, ch. 1, app. 3-A and Rule 1.3, RGDP.

(Mike Frisch)