BOARD MEMBERS JOHN L COTE CHAIRPERSON LEO A FARHAT MSGR CLEMENT H KERN DAVID BAKER LEWIS. SECRETARY FRANK J . MCDEVITT. D . 0 . WILLIAM G . REAMON LYNN H . SHECTER. VICE-CHAIRPERSON
STATE OF MICHIGAN
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NOTICE OF SUSPENSION DP-102/81 and DP-1/82 (Conso l ida ted)
J O H N F. X . DWAIHY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR L GENERAL COUNSEL
SUITE 1260 3 3 3 W. FORT STREET DETROIT. MICHIGAN 4 8 2 2 6 T E L E P H O N E : ( ~ I ~9 6) 3 - 5 5 5 3
PHILLIP J. TOCCO (P 21484), 11645 Conant, D e t r o i t , M I 48212, by t h e At- t o r n e y D i s c i p l i n e Board a f f i r m i n g t h e d e c i s i o n of t h e D i s c i p l i n e Board Hear- i n g P a n e l "N".
(1) Suspension; ( 2 ) For a p e r i o d of 60 days ; (3) E f f e c t i v e September 23,1982. The h e a r i n g p a n e l found t h a t Respondent had n e g l e c t e d c e r t a i n c i v i l l i t- i g a t i o n and f a i l e d t o a p p e a r f o r t r i a l r e s u l t i n g i n d i s m i s s a l of t h e c a u s e w i t h p r e j u d i c e ; t h a t Respondent f a i l e d t o t i m e l y f i l e a mot ion t o r e i n s t a t e f o r a p e r i o d of 6 months; t h a t Respondent f a i l e d a n d / o r n e g l e c t e d t o t i m e l y f i l e a n o t i c e of h e a r i n g o r proof of s e r v i c e on t h e opposing p a r t y ; t h a t t h e mot ion f o r r e i n s t a t e m e n t was d e n i e d ; t h a t a mot ion t o modify t h e d i s m i s s a l w a s f i l e d b u t Respondent f a i l e d t o o b t a i n a n o r d e r modifying t h e d i s m i s s a l ; The p a n e l f u r t h e r found t h a t Respondent, d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e of a n a t t o r n e y / c l i e n t r e l a t i o n s h i p was d i r e c t e d by a c o r p o r a t e c l i e n t i n J a n u a r y of 1977 t o i n i t i a t e immediate ly a l a w s u i t f o r c o l l e c t i o n of a commission; t h a t Re- spondent i n i t i a t e d t h e s u i t b u t n o t u n t i l on o r abou t October , 1978; t h a t p u r s u a n t t o a judgment Respondent o b t a i n e d p a r t i a l payment of $2,500 from t h e opposing p a r t y and c o n t r a r y t o t h e arrangement w i t h t h e c l i e n t , improper ly w i t h h e l d s a i d amount c la iming i t w a s due him as a t t o r n e y f e e s . The p a n e l a l s o found t h a t Respondent f a i l e d t o t i m e l y answer a Formal Complaint i n v i o l a t i o n of GCR 1963, 953(7) and 964.4. The p a n e l a l s o found v i o l a t i o n s o f : Canon 6, DR6-101(A)(3); GCR 1963, 953(6) ; Canon 9 , DR9-102(B)(4). The p a n e l noted a p r i o r d i s c i p l i n e of a repr imand i n 1970 and a s u s p e n s i o n of 1 5 days i n a s e p a r a t e m a t t e r . Cos t s were a s s e s s e d i n t h e amount of
$560.06.
W F. X DWAIW, ~xecutive Director & General Counsel
.---. DAVID BAKER LEWIS, Secretary of the Attorney Disc~plineB oard