NOTICE OF REPRIMAND Case No. 97-290-GA Notice Issued: March 1, 2001 Victor L. Bowman, P-33764, Southfield, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board vacating Tri-County Hearing Panel #17's order of ANo Discipline@ and increasing discipline to a reprimand upon remand from the Michigan Supreme Court.
1. Reprimand; 2. Effective March 1, 2001. On May 27, 1998, the hearing panel issued an order finding misconduct, to wit: That respondent had violated Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 1.4(a); 1.15(b) and 8.4(a) and (c) by failing to advise his client of contingency fees; failing to obtain her consent to the settlement; failing to witness his client=s signature on the release; signing his client=s name to the settlement check without her authority; failing to inform her of his receipt of the settlement monies; and failing to protect her interests by distributing the settlement monies only to her husband. However, the hearing panel declined to impose discipline. Petitions for review were filed on June 1, 1998 and June 10, 1998 by the Grievance Administrator and complainant, respectively. A review hearing was held on September 17, 1998 and the Attorney Discipline Board affirmed the hearing panel=s findings in an order issued September 30, 1998.
On October 15, 1998, the Grievance Administrator filed an application for leave to appeal with the Michigan Supreme Court which was granted on November 12, 1999. On August 10, 2000, the Supreme Court issued an order reversing the Attorney Discipline Board=s order and remanded the matter to the Board for further proceedings in conformance with the ABA Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions.
On February 7, 2001, the Attorney Discipline Board entered an order of reprimand. Costs were assessed in the amount of $1,320.51.