MEMBERS LOUANN VAN DER WIELE CHAIRPERSON REV. MICHAEL MURRAY VICE-CHAIRPERSON BARBARA WILLIAMS FORNEY SECRETARY
JAMES A. FINK JOHN W. INHULSEN JONATHAN E. LAUDERBACH KAREN D. O'DONOGHUE MICHAEL B. RIZIK, JR. LINDA S. HOTCHKISS, MD
STATE OF MICHIGAN ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE BOARD
211 WEST FORT STREET, SUITE 1410
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48226-3236 PHONE: 313-963-5553 I FAX: 313-963-5571
MARK A. ARMITAGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
WENDY A. NEELEY DEPUTY DIRECTOR
KAREN M. DALEY ASSOCIATE COUNSEL
SHERRY L. MIFSUD OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
ALLYSON M. PLOURDE CASE MANAGER
OWEN R. MONTGOMERY CASE MANAGER
JULIE M. LOISELLE RECEPTIONISTISECRETARY
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION (By Consent)
Case No. 18-14-GA Notice Issued: March 22, 2018 William C. Brown, P 33871, Owosso, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board Genesee County Hearing Panel #3.
Suspension - 180 Days, Effective March 17, 2018. The respondent and the Grievance Administrator filed a stipulation for a consent order of discipline, in accordance with MCR 9.115(F)(5), which was approved by the Attorney Grievance Commission and accepted by the hearing panel. Based upon respondent's admissions, plea of no contest and the stipulation of the parties, the panel found that respondent committed professional misconduct in his representation of Jack and Ruth Walworth and eventually in his capacity as trustee of their respective trusts.
Specifically, the panel found that respondent handled a legal matter which the lawyer knew or should have known that the lawyer was not competent to handle, in violation of MRPC 1.1 (a); charged and/or collected an illegal or clearly excessive fee, in violation of MRPC 1.5(a); and failed to take reasonable efforts to correct a misunderstanding of an unrepresented party regarding a lawyer's interest, in violation of MRPC 4.3. Respondent was also found to have violated MCR 9.104(1 )-(3).