MEMBERS LAWRENCE G. CAMPBELL
VICE-CHAIRPERSON DULCE M. FULLER SECRETARY ROSALIND E. GRIFFIN, M.D. LOUANN VAN DER WIELE MICHAEL MURRAY JAMES A. FINK JOHN W. INHULSEN
STATE OF MICIDGAN
ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE BOARD
211 WEST FORT STREET, SUITE 1410 DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48226-3236 PHONE: 313-963-5553 I FAX: 313-963-5571
MARK A. ARMITAGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
WENDY A. NEELEY DEPUTY DIRECTOR SHERRY L. MIFSUD OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR JENNIFER M. PETTY PARALEGAL KATHLEEN PHILLIPS CASE MANAGER
ALLY SON M. PLOURDE CASE MANAGER JULIE M. LOISELLE RECEPTIONIST www.adbmich.org
NOTICE OF REPRIMAND AND RESTITUTION WITH CONDITIONS (By Consent)
Case No. 15-63-GA Notice Issued: November 10,2015 Caroline M. Bridges, P 42012, Negaunee, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board Upper Peninsula Hearing Panel #1.
1. Reprimand 2. Effective November 10, 2015 The respondent and the Grievance Administrator filed a stipulation for a consent order of discipline, in accordance with MCR 9.115(F)(5), which was approved by the Attorney Grievance Commission and accepted by the hearing panel. Based upon respondent's plea, admissions and the stipulation of the parties, the found that respondent failed to communicate with her client to the extent reasonably necessary for her client to make an informed decision regarding the representation, in violation of MRPC 1.4(a); charged an excessive fee for conservatorship-like services, in violation of MRPC 1.5(a); failed to communicate to her client the basis or rate of her fees prior to withdrawing funds from her IOlTA, in violation of MRPC 1.5(b); held funds in her IOlT A in which she had an interest, in violation of MRPC 1.15(a)(3); failed to promptly payor deliver funds or other property that the client or third person is entitled to receive to the client or third person, in violation of MRPC 1.15(b)(3); failed to keep property in which two or more persons (one of whom may be the lawyer) claim interest in the property separate until the dispute is resolved, in violation of MRPC 1.15{c); failed to deposit all client funds into an IOlTA or non-IOlTA account, in violation of MRPC 1.15(d); had her own funds in a client trust account in an amount in excess of an amount reasonably necessary to pay financial institution service charges or fees or to obtain a waiver of service charges or fees, in violation of MRPC 1.15(f); failed to surrender papers and property to which the client is entitled upon termination of the representation, in violation of MRPC 1.16(d). The panel also found that respondent violated MRPC 8.4(a) and MCR 9.104(2)-(4).
In accordance with the stipulation of the parties, the hearing panel ordered that respondent be reprimanded and pay restitution in the amount of $10,000.00. The panel also ordered that respondent shall be subject to conditions relevant to the admitted misconduct. Costs were assessed in the amount of $942.92.
~Q-~ ark A. Armitage NOV 1 9 2815 Dated: ________