NOTICE OF ORDER IMPOSING ANO DISCIPLINE@ Case No. 99-77-GA Notice Issued: May 21, 2001 Maroun J. Hakim, P-28489, St. Clair Shores, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board, affirming in part and reversing in part and entering an order imposing ANo Discipline.@
1. Order Imposing ANo Discipline@ 2. Effective May 17, 2001 The Grievance Administrator petitioned for review of the hearing panel's decision to dismiss the charges in the formal complaint that respondent improperly acquired a proprietary interest in his client's cause of action in violation of MRPC 1.8(j) and failed to maintain trust account records for a period of five years as required under MRPC 1.15(a). On review, the Attorney Discipline Board affirmed the dismissal of the charge under MRPC 1.15(a) for the reason that respondent did not hold Afunds of the client@ within the meaning of that rule. The Board concluded, however, that respondent's acceptance of an assignment of his client's cause of action in a personal injury case constituted, prima facie, a violation of MRPC 1.8(j). Finally, the Board concluded that the nature of the rule which was violated, coupled with the unique facts of the case, warranted imposition of an order of discipline which Aeffectively imposes no discipline@ as explicated by the Supreme Court in Grievance Administrator v Deutch, 455 Mich 149 (1997). Costs were assessed in the amount of $1,064.43.