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In separate disciplinary actions announced today, the Supreme Court of Ohio disbarred Sandusky attorney Patrick S. Mason and indefinitely suspended the law license of attorney Lucinda D. Randall of Spring Valley.
2007-2322. Toledo Bar Assn. v. Mason, Slip Opinion No. 2008-Ohio-2704.
On Certified Report by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline, No. 07-040. Patrick S. Mason, Attorney Registration No. 0076884, is permanently disbarred from the practice of law in Ohio.
Moyer, C.J., and Pfeifer, Lundberg Stratton, O'Connor, O'Donnell, and Cupp, JJ., concur.
Lanzinger, J., dissents and would indefinitely suspend the respondent.
Opinion: http://www.supremecourtofohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/0/2008/2008-Ohio-2704.pdf
(June 12, 2008) The Supreme Court of Ohio today permanently revoked the law license of Sandusky attorney Patrick S. Mason for multiple violations of the Code of Professional Responsibility in his dealings with four different clients.
The Court adopted findings by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline that, in one case, Mason mishandled and misappropriated funds from a $13,750 settlement he received on behalf of a personal injury client. The Court found that Mason not only deducted from the settlement proceeds $4,583 to which he was entitled as a contingent fee, but also paid from the client’s proceeds a $2,025 fee to another attorney that should have come from Mason’s fee. The court also found that Mason failed to pay a $2,800 medical bill from the settlement proceeds despite telling the client he had done so, delayed for eight months in sending the client any portion of the settlement, and ultimately sent her a check for $4,091 that was returned unpaid because it was written on a non-existent bank account. The client never recovered any of the settlement proceeds, and had her wages garnished to pay the medical bill that Mason falsely stated he had paid on her behalf.
In two other instances, the Court found that Mason accepted fee advances from clients facing criminal charges but then abandoned their cases and failed to respond to their attempts to contact him without any notice and without returning their unearned fees. In one case, a trial court issued an arrest warrant for Mason’s client when neither he nor Mason appeared for a pretrial hearing about which the client had never been informed.
Among many other findings of professional misconduct, the Court held that Mason had violated the state attorney discipline rules that prohibit illegal conduct involving moral turpitude, conduct involving fraud, deceit, dishonesty or misrepresentation and intentionally damaging a client in the course of a professional relationship.
Contacts
Jonathan B. Cherry, 419242.4969, for
the Toledo Bar Association.
No current contact information available for Patrick S. Mason
2007-2320. Dayton Bar Assn. v. Randall, Slip Opinion No. 2008-Ohio-2709.
On Certified Report by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline, No. 05-086. Lucinda D. Randall, Attorney Registration No. 0014374, is indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in Ohio.
Moyer, C.J., and Pfeifer, O'Connor, Lanzinger, and Cupp, JJ., concur.
Lundberg Stratton and O'Donnell, JJ., dissent.
Opinion: http://www.supremecourtofohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/0/2008/2008-Ohio-2709.pdf
(June 12, 2008) The Supreme Court of Ohio today indefinitely suspended the license of Spring Valley attorney Lucinda D. Randall for abandoning the cases of eight clients who had retained her to represent them in Social Security benefits appeals, and the cases of four other clients she had agreed to represent in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
The Court found that Randall’s conduct violated the state attorney discipline rules that prohibit neglect of entrusted client legal matters, conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and conduct that reflects adversely on an attorney’s fitness to practice law.
Because Randall failed to answer the complaint against her or to respond to repeated efforts by the Dayton Bar Association and Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline to communicate with her, she also was found to be in violation of the state bar governance rule that requires an attorney to cooperate with disciplinary proceedings.
Contacts
Yashmin W. Spells, 937.222.7902, for
the Dayton Bar Association.
No current contact information available for Lucinda D. Randall.