MEMBERS JONATHAN E. LAUDERBACH CHAIRPERSON MICHAEL B. RIZIK, JR. VICE-CHAIRPERSON BARBARA WILLIAMS FORNEY
SECRETARY JAMES A. FINK JOHN W. INHULSEN
KAREN D. O'DONOGHUE LINDA S. HOTCHKISS, MD
MICHAEL S. HOHAUSER PETER A. SMIT
STATE OF MICHIGAN ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE BOARD
333 WEST FORT STREET, SUITE 1700
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48226-3147 PHONE: 313-963-5553 I FAX: 313-963-5571
MARK A. ARMITAGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
WENDY A. NEELEY DEPUTY DIRECTOR
KAREN M. DALEY ASSOCIATE COUNSEL
SHERRY MIFSUD OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
ALLY SON M. PLOURDE CASE MANAGER
OWEN R. MONTGOMERY CASE MANAGER
JULIE M. LOISELLE RECEPTIONISTISECRETARY
www.adbmich.org
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION (By Consent)
Case No. 19-54-GA
Notice Issued: February 7,2020
Ronald McDuffie, P 34858, Inkster, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board Tri-County Hearing Panel #11.
Suspension - One Year, Effective February 1, 2020
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 on respondent's admissions and the stipulation of the parties, the panel found that respondent committed professional misconduct by maintaining funds within his IOL TA that were not connected to a legal matter, nor legal representation of a client. Instead, these funds belonged to female inmates, represented by a separate attorney, who obtained large settlements from sexual harassment cases against the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). Respondent, acting in a non-legal capacity, assisted these inmates in withdrawing funds held by the prison system to third parties not authorized by MDOC by falsely representing to MDOC that the withdrawals were for his legal fees.
Specifically, the panel found that respondent held funds other than client or third person funds in his IOL TA, in violation of I\I1RPC 1.15(a)(3); deposited his own funds in his IOL TA in an amount more than reasonably necessary to pay financial service charges or fees, in violation of MRPC 1.15(f); in connection with a disciplinary matter, knowingly made a false statement of material fact by stating he did not remember the "clients" he made payments for and claiming the returned check was for a client, in violation of MRPC 8.1 (a)(1); engaged in conduct involving 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 by submitting false documentation to the prison and making misleading representations during the investigation, in violation of MRPC 8.4(b); and made a knowing misrepresentation of facts or circumstances surrounding a request for investigation or complaint, in violation of MCR 9.104(6). Respondent was also found to have violated MRPC 8.4(a) and MCR 9.104(1) -(3).
In accordance with the stipulation of the parties, the panel ordered that respondent's license to practice law in Michigan be suspended for a period of one year. Costs were assessed in the amount of $2,064.82. .-l I? ยข;"., 1-::1
Mark A. Armitage Executive Director