MEMBERS LOUANN VAN DER WIELE CHAIRPERSON REV. MICHAEL MURRAY VICE-CHAIRPERSON DULCE M. FULLER SECRETARY JAMES A. FINK JOHN W. INHULSEN JONATHAN E. LAUDERBACH BARBARA WILLIAMS FORNEY KAREN D. O'DONOGHUE MICHAEL B. RIZIK, JR.
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 SHERRY L. MIFSUD OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR ALLYSON M. PLOURDE CASE MANAGER OWEN R. MONTGOMERY CASE MANAGER JULIE M. LOISELLE RECEPTIONISTISECRETARY
NOTICE OF REPRIMAND (By Consent)
Case No. 16-105-GA Notice Issued: November 17,2016 Rockwood W. Bullard, III, P 26231, Clarkston, Michigan, by the Attorney Discipline Board Tri-County Hearing Panel #56.
Reprimand, Effective November 17,2016 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. The stipulation contained respondent's admissions to the allegations that he committed professional misconduct as the result of his improper use of an IOlTA account from January 2015 through August 2015, and that, in April and May 2015, respondent improperly provided financial assistance to a client in connection with pending or contemplated litigation.
Based upon respondent's admissions and the stipulation of the parties, the panel found that respondent provided financial assistance to a client in connection with pending or contemplated litigation, in violation of MRPC 1.8(e); held funds other than client orthird person funds in an IOlTA account, in violation of MRPC 1.15(a)(3); and deposited his own funds into an IOlTA account in excess of the amount reasonably necessary to pay financial institution service charges or fees or to obtain a waiver of service charges or fees, in violation of MRPC 1.15(f). Respondent was also found to have violated MCR 9.1 04(2)-(4) and MRPC 8.4(a). In entering their finding of misconduct, the panel acknowledged paragraph 3(d) of the Stipulation for Consent Order of Discipline, which stated that "there is no evidence that Respondent improperly used, converted, misappropriated, or commingled client funds."
In accordance with the stipulation of the parties, the panel ordered that respondent be ~ed~os~ in the amount of $884.68.
Mark A. Armitage