A Hearing Panel of the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has ordered an 180-day suspension

the panel found, by default, that respondent committed professional misconduct when he signed his former partner’s name without her permission or knowledge, to a Petition to Reopen and Modify Trust which he then filed in Kent County Probate Court on behalf of his wife, with whom respondent’s former partner had no established attorney-client relationship. Count Two of the complaint alleged that respondent failed to answer a request for investigation filed by his former partner within the required time frame referenced in MCR 9.113(A).

Based on respondent’s default, and the evidence presented at the hearing, the panel found that respondent, with regard to Count One, that respondent made a false statement of material fact or law to a tribunal or failed to correct a false statement of material fact or law previously made to the tribunal, in violation of MRPC 3.3; and engaged in conduct that involved dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or violation of the criminal law, in violation of MRPC 8.4(b).

(Mike Frisch)