MEMBERS LOUANN VAN DER WIELE CHAIRPERSON LAWRENCE G. CAMPBELL
VICE-CHAIRPERSON DULCE M. FULLER
SECRETARY ROSALIND E. GRIFFIN, M.D. MICHAEL MURRAY JAMES A. FINK JOHN W. INHULSEN JONATHAN E. LAUDERBACH BARBARA WILLIAMS FORNEY
STATE OF MICHIGAN ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE BOARD
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MARK A. ARMITAGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
WENDY A. NEELEY DEPUTY DIRECTOR
SHERRY L. MIFSUD
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR JENNIFER M. PETTY PARALEGAL
ALLY SON M. PLOURDE CASE MANAGER
JULIE M. LOISELLE CASE MANAGER
www.adbmich.org
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION (By Consent)
Case No. 16-29-GA Notice Issued: March 31, 2016
Christopher Shea Berry, P 68580, Holland, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board Kent County Hearing Panel #5.
1. Suspension - One Year 2. Effective March 31, 2016 The respondent and the Grievance Administrator filed a stipulation for a consent order of discipline, which was approved by the Attorney Grievance Commission and accepted by the hearing panel. Based on respondent's admissions to the factual allegations and allegations of professional misconduct contained in the formal complaint, the hearing panel found that respondent failed to
keep clients reasonably informed about the status of matters, in violation of MRPC 1.1 (a); failed to explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation, in violation of MRPC 1.4(b); charged a clearly excessive fee, in violation of MRPC 1.5(a); knowingly made a false statement of material fact or law to a third person during the course of representing a client, in violation of MRPC 4.1; and, engaged in conduct that involved dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or violation of the criminal law, where such conduct reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer, in
violation of MRPC 8.4(b). The panel also found that respondent violated MRPC 8.4(c) and MCR 9.104(1 )-(3).
The hearing panel ordered that respondent's license to practice law in Michigan be suspended for one year, effective March 31, 2016, as stipulated by the parties. Costs were assessed in the amount of $1,836.34.
Mark A. Armitage MAR31Z. . Dated: ________