Same Same

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has imposed reciprocal discipline for an attorney’s misconduct in Virginia, where she was not admitted to practice.

Ms. Styles-Anderson is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, but is not admitted to practice in Virginia. In 2015, Ms. StylesAnderson represented a juvenile in state-court proceedings in Virginia. Ms. StylesAnderson initially was not affiliated with local counsel, and she admits that she affirmatively misrepresented her status as a non-Virginia attorney when she entered her appearance. As part of this representation, Ms. Styles-Anderson collected legal fees, including advance legal fees that Ms. Styles-Anderson did not deposit into a trust account. The parents of the juvenile represented by Ms. Styles-Anderson retained counsel to recover the fees from Ms. Styles-Anderson. Ms. StylesAnderson agreed that her conduct violated numerous of the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct. Pursuant to an agreed disposition, Ms. Style-Anderson was suspended from the practice of law in Virginia for fifteen months. Subsequently, this court temporarily suspended Ms. Styles-Anderson from the practice of law in the District of Columbia, pending resolution of a reciprocal-discipline proceeding. On September 15, 2017, Ms. Styles-Anderson filed the affidavit required by D.C. Bar R. XI, § 14(g), attesting that Ms. Styles-Anderson had informed her clients that she could no longer represent them.

She is required to petition for reinstatement and demonstrate fitness to practice law. (Mike frisch)