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
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION
J O H N F. X.DWAIHY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & GENERAL COUNSEL
SUITE 1260 3 3 3 W. FORT STREET DETROIT. MICHIGAN 48226 TELEPHONE:(^^^) 9 6 3 - 5 5 5 3
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F i l e No. DP-191/80 & DP-164/80 (Two Consol idated Complaints)
LARRY A. GIRARD (P 14022), 24800 Northwestern Hwy., S u i t e 203, S o u t h f i e l d , M I 48075, by t h e Attorney D i s c i p l i n e Board a f f i r m i n g t h e hear- i n g panel d e c i s i o n pursuant t o a delayed p e t i t i o n f o r review.
(1) (2) (3)
Suspension; For a pe r iod of 180 days; E f f e c t i v e June 1 6 t h ( a s p rev ious ly publ ished i n p r i o r n o t i c e of suspens ion pending appea l ) . .. . -
The hea r ing panel found t h a t Respondent had v i o l a t e d t h e Rules of P r o f e s s i o n a l Conduct a s a l l e g e d i n two conso l ida t ed Formal Complaints con- s i s t i n g of a combined t o t a l of twelve counts . The pane l found t h a t Respon- den t f a i l e d t o p rov ide s e r v i c e s agreed upon and neg lec t ed t h e p rosecu t ion of a c i v i l a c t i o n t o en fo rce a judgment a f t e r r e c e i v i n g a r e t a i n e r f e e ; t h a t Respondent was pa id a f e e and agreed t o hand le a d i v o r c e a c t i o n , f i l e d t h e Complaint, b u t f a i l e d t o en fo rce a n i n t e r i m o r d e r f o r suppor t , ad jou rn v a r i o u s hea r ing d a t e s , f a i l e d o r r e fused t o communicate w i t h t h e c l i e n t d e s p i t e numerous c a l l s by t h e c l i e n t , f a i l e d t o appear a t t h e hea r ing on t h e motion f o r e n t r y of d e f a u l t judgment a g a i n s t h i s c l i e n t , f a i l e d t o n o t i f y t h e c l i e n t of s a i d hea r ing and t h e r e s u l t s t h e r e o f , and f a i l e d t o p rov ide a copy of t h e judgment t o h i s c l i e n t , and f a i l e d t o t a k e f u r t h e r s t e p s t o r e p r e s e n t t h e c l i e n t ' s i n t e r e s t s ; t h a t Respondent agreed t o appea l a c e r t a i n c r i m i n a l s en tence and w a s pa id a f e e of $2,100.00, b u t neg lec t ed t o pursue t h e matter and f a i l e d t o account t o t h e p a r t y paying t h e f e e r ega rd ing s e r v i c e s render- ed; t h a t Respondent d iv ided a f e e wi thout consent of t h e c l i e n t and wi thout regsrd t o t h e p ropor t ion of s e r v i c e s performed by t h e payee - re fe r r ing a t t o r - ney; t h a t Respondent f a i l e d t o f i l e o r p repa re a c r i m i n a l a p p e l l a t e b r i e f r e s u l t i n g i n d i s m i s s a l f o r l a c k of p rog res s , f a i l e d t o d i s c l o s e t h e d i s m i s s a l t o t h c c r i m i n a l c l i e n t , m i s rep resen t ing t h e s t a t u s of t h e c a s e t o t h e c l i e n t and t ak ing no f u r t h e r a c t i o n on t h e c l i e n t ' s b e h a l f ; t h a t Respondent neg lec t ed
a p o r t i o n of a pe r sona l i n j u r y c l a im invo lv ing monthly medica l and home c a r e ex- penses a f t e r having s e t t l e d on o t h e r damages f o r t h e c l i e n t and f a i l e d t o meet w i th t h e c l i e n t s a s scheduled. The panel found t h a t Respondent was g u i l t y of misconduct i n connect ion w i t h charges t h a t he f a i l e d t o answer 7 Requests f o r I n v e s t i g a t i o n submit ted by t h e Grievance Adminis t ra tor i n v i c l a t i c n of GCR 353 (7 ) and 962 .2 (b) .
Notice of Suspension In Re Lerzy A. Girard Pas.? 1.0
The pane l found v i o l a t i o n s of Canons 1, 6, and 7 of t h e Code of P r o f e s s i o n a l R e s p o n s i b i l i t y . The panel found no evidence i n m i t i g a t i o n 5ut noted no p r i o r h i s t o r y of d i s c i p l i n e . Costs were a s se s sed i n t h e amount of $470.50. Respcndwt f i l e d a l a t e P e t i t i o n f o r Review, b u t w a s g r an ted a
rev iew h e a r i n g by t h e Board.
L JOHN F. X DWAIHY, m-D '7%Ge neral Counsel
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dal,"i C + L DAVID BAKER LEWIS, Secretaw of the Attorney Discipline Board