NOTICE OF SUSPENSION AND RESTITUTION Case No. 00-83-GA Issued: August 15, 2000 Julie Baran, P-45232, Kalamazoo, Michigan, by Attorney Discipline Board Kalamazoo County Hearing Panel #2.
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Suspension - 2 Years;
Effective June 28, 2000.
Respondent failed to answer the formal complaint and failed to appear at the scheduled hearing before the panel. The panel found, by default, that respondent committed professional misconduct, to wit: In three different matters, respondent failed to institute litigation on behalf of her clients; failed to respond to numerous inquiries from her clients regarding the status of their cases; and abandoned her representation without notice to her clients. In a divorce matter, respondent failed to return unearned fees and, in a landlord/tenant matter, respondent failed to return the client=s file. Also, with regard to the landlord/tenant matter, respondent falsely advised her client that she had filed suit on his behalf and presented a fabricated pre-trial notice with a false file number and indicated that a pre-trial conference was scheduled. Further, respondent failed to respond to three requests for investigation served by the Attorney Grievance Commission. The panel found that respondent=s conduct was found to be in violation of MCR 9.104(1)-(4) and (7); MCR 9.113(A); and MCR 9.113(B)(2); and the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1(c); 1.2(a); 1.3; 1.4(a) and (b); 1.15(b); 1.16(d); 3.2; 8.1(b); and 8.4(a)-(c).
The panel ordered that respondent=s license be suspended for two years commencing June 28, 2000, the effective date of a 180 day suspension ordered in an earlier case (Grievance Administrator v Julie Baran, Case Nos. 00-22-GA; 00-37-FA). The panel further ordered that respondent make restitution in the amount of $750.00 to one complainant and return another complainant=s entire file . Costs were assessed in the amount of $306.36.