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Timothy W. Durkop (WSBA No. 22985, admitted 1993) of Spokane Valley, WA, was disbarred, effective 8/25/2026, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. Nate Blanchard acted as disciplinary counsel. Timothy W. Durkop represented themselves. Deborah Rose Wechselblatt was the hearing officer.
The lawyer’s conduct violated the following Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.2 (Scope of Representation and Allocation of Authority Between Client and Lawyer), 1.3 (Diligence), 1.4 (Communication), 3.2 (Expediting Litigation), 3.4 (Fairness to Opposing Party and Counsel), 8.1 (Bar Admission and Disciplinary Matters), 8.4(c) (Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit or Misrepresentation) and 8.4(l) (ELC violation).
The hearing officer recommended, and the court ordered, that Durkop be disbarred from the practice of law in Washington State.
Durkop was found to have violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by 1) stipulating to an order compelling discovery responses and later stipulating to a default order agreeing to liability without the client’s consent; 2) failing to respond to or providing non-substantive responses to motions to compel discovery, a motion for class certification, and motions for default and discovery sanctions; 3) failing to make any objection to class inclusion after agreeing to a default order that expressly allowed for such objections; 4) failing to keep the client reasonably informed, including failing to disclose critical motions, hearings, sanctions orders, the order certifying the class, and proposed and agreed default orders; 5) making misleading statements to the client and providing incomplete information, including assuring the client the case was going well, falsely stating opposing counsel intended to visit the client’s office to review documents, and providing an incomplete copy of a court order granting class certification; 6) failing to cooperate with the disciplinary investigation, including failing to respond to written inquiries, failing to produce the client file, and failing to appear for a commanded deposition.
Decision documents: Hearing Officer’s Decision; Disciplinary Board Order Declining Sua Sponte Review and Adopting Hearing Officer’s Decision; and Washington Supreme Court Order.
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