The Wrong Way To Deal With A Bar Complaint

In a lengthy opinion, the Maryland Court of Appeals disbarred an attorney for, among other things

threatened to “blow up” [the] building in which physical therapy facility that had filed complaint against him was located

The court described the misconduct

This attorney discipline proceeding involves an attorney who engaged in what can best be described as a one-man misconduct wave over the course of several years in connection with numerous client matters. The attorney, chief among various forms of serious misconduct, failed to competently and diligently represent his clients’ interests, failed to sufficiently and timely communicate with his clients, failed to refund unearned legal fees to clients, misappropriated funds for his own personal use, fraudulently altered checks, made misrepresentations or outright lied to clients and third parties, and threatened to “blow up” a building in which a physical therapy facility, whose owner had filed a complaint on behalf of the facility against him, was located.

In this case, Darryl Russel Armstrong, Respondent, a member of the Bar of Maryland, represented eight clients in various civil and criminal matters and an immigration matter, and in addition represented several other clients who were injured in motor vehicle accidents and sought medical treatment at a physical therapy facility. Six clients, two clients’ mothers, and the owner of the physical therapy facility filed complaints against Armstrong with Bar Counsel.

In addition to the numerous serious client-related violations

 Armstrong also violated MARPC 8.4(d) with respect to CJB when he visited the CJB office and twice threatened to “blow up” the building before he would let CJB “take [his] license.” Armstrong’s threats led CJB’s employees to report the incidents to the Baltimore Police Department and a police report was prepared.

(Mike Frisch)