A reprimand imposed by a hearing panel of the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission

Respondent and the Grievance Administrator filed an Amended Stipulation for Consent Order of Discipline in accordance with MCR 9.115(F)(5), which was approved by the Attorney Grievance Commission and accepted by Tri-County Hearing Panel #6. The parties dismissed paragraph 79(v) of the formal complaint, and respondent pled no contest to the factual allegations and rule violations set forth in the balance of the formal complaint. Specifically, the stipulation for consent order of discipline contained respondent’s no contest plea to allegations that he: made disparaging remarks about other attorneys before and during the representation of his clients, failed to adequately communicate with his clients, failed to properly account for client funds, charged a clearly excessive fee, and failed to appear at hearings leading to default judgments, and entered into unauthorized settlements. The stipulation for consent order of discipline further contained respondent’s no contest plea to the allegation that, after his representation was terminated, respondent delayed or failed to return client files, improperly held client funds without providing an accounting, and failed to timely withdraw as attorney of record from those cases.