AMENDED NOTICE OF SUSPENSION (By Consent)
ADB 170-88; 195-88 Charles J. Ladd, P-16334, Ann Arbor, MI, by Attorney Discipline Board, Washtenaw County Hearing Panel #2.
1) Suspension - one year; 2) Effective November 15, 1988. The Attorney Grievance Commission and the hearing panel approved a Stipulation for Consent Order of Discipline submitted in accordance with MCR 9.115(F)(5). The panel accepted respondent's plea of nolo contendere to charges that he accepted monthly payments of $50.00 from a debtor in a collection matter but failed to deposit those funds in an appropriate account, & failed to notify the client of his receipt of those funds. The complaint filed by the Grievance Administrator further alleged that respondent's collection of funds' on behalf of a client violated the provisions of an Order of Probation entered by a hearing panel of the Attorney Discipline Board in October 1984 which prohibited respondent from accepting any monies in trust or escrow for a period of two years and the complaint charged that the respondent's answer to the Request for Investigation was not truthful. Respondent's conduct was alleged to be in violation of MCR 9.104(1-4,6,8); and Canons 1 and 9 of the Code of Professional Responsibility, DR 1-102(A)(3-6); DR 9-102(A)(B)(1,3,4).
Prior to the acceptance of respondent's plea, respondent had asserted in mitigation that his ability to practice law was impaired at the time of the alleged misconduct. The parties stipulated that respondent's reinstatement to the practice of law be conditioned upon a showing that the disability had been treated and that he could safely be recommended to the public. Costs were assessed in the amount of $187.73.