MEMBERS JONATHAN E. LAUDERBACH CHAIRPERSON MICHAEL B. RIZIK, JR. VICE-CHAIRPERSON BARBARA WILLIAMS FORNEY SECRETARY KAREN D. O’DONOGHUE LINDA S. HOTCHKISS, MD MICHAEL S. HOHAUSER PETER A. SMIT ALAN GERSHEL LINDA M. ORLANS
STATE OF MICHIGAN ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE BOARD
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PHONE: 313-963-5553
MARK A. ARMITAGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR — WENDY A. NEELEY DEPUTY DIRECTOR — KAREN M. DALEY ASSOCIATE COUNSEL — SHERRY MIFSUD
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR — ALLYSON M. PLOURDE CASE MANAGER
OWEN R. MONTGOMERY CASE MANAGER — JULIE M. LOISELLE RECEPTIONIST/SECRETARY —
www.adbmich.org
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION WITH CONDITION
Case No. 20-44-GA
Notice Issued: November 30, 2020
Christopher Allyn Sevick, P 69506, Ann Arbor, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board Washtenaw County Hearing Panel #3.
Suspension - 180 Days, Effective November 24, 2020 Based on his default, the hearing panel found that respondent committed professional misconduct by mishandling his IOLTA resulting in an overdraft, by commingling his own funds with client funds, by failing to answer a request for investigation, and by failing to respond to a lawful demand for information from the Grievance Administrator.
The panel found that respondent failed to hold property of his clients or third persons separately from his own and to adequately supervise the handling of his IOLTA to safeguard client funds, in violation of MRPC 1.15(d); having received notification that an instrument presented against his trust account was presented against insufficient funds, failed to provide a full and fair explanation of the cause of the overdraft and how it was corrected, to the Grievance Administrator upon request within 21 days, in violation of MRPC 1.15A(f); failed to respond to a lawful demand for information in violation of MRPC 8.1(a)(2); failed to answer a request for investigation in violation of MCR 9.104(7) and MCR 9.113(b). Respondent was also found to have violated MCR 9.104(2)-(4); and MRPC 8.4(a).
The panel ordered that respondent’s license to practice law be suspended for a period of 180 days, and that respondent be subject to a condition relevant to the established misconduct. Total costs were assessed in the amount of $2,018.50.
/s/ Mark A. Armitage Executive Director