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Denise C. George (WSBA No. 10749, admitted 1980), of Bellingham, received a censure following a hearing. This discipline is based on Ms. George’s failure to diligently represent and communicate with a client from 1995 through 1997.
In January 1995, Ms. George agreed to represent the mother in a parenting plan and child-support modification. The client had primary residential placement of her two daughters. In December 1994, the 16-year-old daughter had temporarily gone to live with the father. The father filed a petition to modify the parenting plan to award him primary residential placement of the daughter and to terminate his child-support obligation. Ms. George appeared in the case in February 1995, met with her client in March, and accepted one telephone call in June. In September 1995, the client wrote Ms. George asking about the status of her case, and indicating she was in financial distress because she had not received child support. Ms. George did not respond to this letter.
In October 1995, Ms. George filed a note for the motion docket, scheduling a hearing on support arrearages for November 1, 1995. She did not file a motion with the notice, so there was no hearing. On January 5, 1996, Ms. George did file a motion to determine support arrearages and the court set a fact-finding hearing. On January 16, the client spoke to another lawyer in Ms. George’s office, Mr. R. Mr. R’s notes of the conversation indicate that the client said she did not want primary residential placement of the child, but needed the child support.
On March 5, 1996, the court entered an order signed by Mr. R indicating that the parties agreed to change the child’s residential placement to the father, and to reserve the child-support arrearage issue for a later date. The client did not receive a copy of this order. On April 1, the client wrote another letter to Ms. George indicating she would not agree to give up primary residential placement for the child and needed the back-due child support. Ms. George did not respond to this letter or take any action to resolve the child-support issue. On April 15, 1996, the child turned 18. The client wrote another letter on March 13, 1997. On June 14, 1997, after receiving no response to her letter, the client filed a grievance.
Ms. George’s conduct violated RPCs 1.4(a), requiring lawyers to keep clients reasonably informed of the status of their cases; 1.3, requiring lawyers to diligently represent their clients; and 1.2(a), requiring lawyers to abide by their clients’ decisions concerning the objectives of the representation.
C. Elizabeth Williams represented the Bar Association. Ms. George represented herself.
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