NOTICE OF REVOCATION AND RESTITUTION Case No. 98-16-GA; 98-37-FA Samuel V. Thomas, P-26693, Detroit, Michigan, by Attorney Discipline Board Tri-County Hearing Panel #23.
1) Revocation; 2) Effective January 6, 2003.1. Respondent was retained to represent the complainant in a wrongful discharge action. The panel found, by default, that respondent neglected the matter. As the result of his neglect, respondent later offered to pay to the complainant the sum of $25,000 in exchange for a release from liability in regard to his handling of her legal matter. The complainant accepted respondent's offer and received payments of $2,000 and $3,000. The panel found that respondent thereafter failed to honor the agreement in that he failed to make any further payments; and, he negotiated a second agreement with the complainant, wherein he agreed to repay $20,000, but failed to make any payments pursuant to that agreement. Respondent also failed to answer the Request for Investigation; failed to answer the Formal Complaints; and failed to appear at the disciplinary hearing.
Respondent's conduct was found to be in violation of MCR 9.103(C); MCR 9.104(1)-(4) and (7); MCR 9.113(A) and (B)(2); and Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1(c); 1.2(a); 1.3; 1.4; 8.1(b); and 8.4(a)-(c).
The panel ordered that respondent's license to practice law in Michigan be revoked for the third time, to run consecutive to the revocation imposed in Case Nos. 97-142-GA; 97-167-FA, which became effective on January 6, 1998. The panel also ordered respondent to make restitution to the complainant in the amount of $20,642, pursuant to a civil judgment entered against him. Costs were assessed in the amount of $175.71. 1. Respondent has been continuously suspended from the practice of law in Michigan since December 27, 1996.