Washington Lawyer - August/September 2018 - 40

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARIES
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Disciplinary Actions Taken
by the District of Columbia
Court of Appeals
Original Matters
In re Sharon Styles Anderson. Bar
No. 412158. May 24, 2018. The D.C.
Court of Appeals accepted
Anderson's petition for negotiated discipline and suspended
her for one year, nunc pro tunc to
September 15, 2017, with fitness
and payment of $2,900 in restitution, with interest calculated at
the statutory rate. The violations
stem from Anderson's representation of two separate clients and
failure to respond to the Office of
Disciplinary Counsel during its
investigations. Anderson
acknowledged she (1) failed to
provide competent representation and serve a client with skill
and care; (2) failed to zealously
and diligently represent a client;
(3) failed to act with reasonable
promptness; (4) failed to keep a
client reasonably informed; (5)
failed to explain matters to a
client; (6) failed to take the proper
steps in connection with the termination of representation of a
client; (7) engaged in the unauthorized practice of law; (8) failed
to respond to a lawful demand
for information from Disciplinary
Counsel; (9) engaged in dishonesty; and (10) seriously interfered
with the administration of justice,
thereby violating Rules 1.1(a),
1.1(b), 1.3(a), 1.3(c), 1.4(a), 1.4(b),
1.16(d), 5.5(a), 8.1(b), 8.4(c), and
8.4(d). Additionally, Anderson
failed to comply with an order of
Disciplinary Counsel, in violation
of D.C. Bar Rule XI, § 2(b)(3).
In re Cary Clennon. Bar No.
366816. March 5, 2018. The D.C.
Court of Appeals suspended
Clennon for 60 days, stayed in
favor of one-year probation with

conditions. Clennon neglected
the case of a criminal defendant
after being appointed to represent him under the Criminal
Justice Act, and made factual
misrepresentations to both his
client and the court in violation
of Rules of Professional Conduct
1.3(a), 1.3(c), 1.4(a), 1.4(b), 3.3(a)(1),
8.4(c), and 8.4(d).
In re Larry J. Feldman. Bar No.
460824. May 10, 2018. The D.C.
Court of Appeals granted
Feldman's petition for
reinstatement.
In re Alexander Fernandez. Bar
No. 477829. May 17, 2018. The D.C.
Court of Appeals disbarred
Fernandez by consent.
In re Cynthia S. Malyszek. Bar No.
396875. April 26, 2018. The D.C.
Court of Appeals disbarred
Malyszek for recklessly misappropriating entrusted client
funds. Malyszek committed
numerous violations during her
representation of three clients.
Specifically, regarding one client,
Malyszek failed to deposit the
retainer she received from her
client into a trust account and
instead commingled the
unearned fees with her own
funds in her operating account.
Further, although Malyszek had
only earned part of the retainer,
the operating account fell far
below the amount owed to the
client and was overdrawn on a
day when, as Malyszek acknowledged, she owed the client $990
in unearned fees. Finally,
Malyszek failed to return the
unearned fees to the client upon
his request. Rules 1.1(a), 1.1(b),
1.3(b)(1), 1.3(c), 1.4, 1.5(b), 5.3(b),
5.3(c), 1.15(c), 1.16(d), and 7.5(a).
In re James C. Zinman. Bar No.
182121. May 17, 2018. The D.C.

Court of Appeals disbarred
Zinman by consent.
Reciprocal Matters
In re David E. Furrer. Bar No.
446343. May 24, 2018. In a reciprocal matter from Maryland, the
D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
functionally equivalent reciprocal
discipline and indefinitely suspended Furrer with fitness. In
Maryland, Furrer admitted that
sufficient evidence could be presented to sustain allegations that
he violated ethical rules relating
to competence, scope of representation, diligence, communication, dishonesty, and conduct
prejudicial to the administration
of justice.
In re John A. Giannetti Jr. Bar No.
480278. May 3, 2018. In a reciprocal matter from Maryland, the
D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
functionally equivalent reciprocal
discipline and suspended
Giannetti for one year with
fitness.
In re Elizabeth Kreis. Bar No.
435140. May 3, 2018. In a reciprocal matter from Colorado, the
D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
reciprocal discipline and suspended Kreis for six months, all
stayed but 90 days, to be
followed by an 18-month period
of probation, nunc pro tunc to
January 2, 2018.

suspended Pellegrino for six
months, nunc pro tunc to
November 5, 2017.
In re David Prince. Bar No. 456983.
May 3, 2018. In a reciprocal matter
from Florida, the D.C. Court of
Appeals imposed functionally
equivalent reciprocal discipline
and suspended Prince for one
year with fitness.
In re James B. Rudolph. Bar No.
384848. May 3, 2018. In a reciprocal matter from California, the
D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
reciprocal discipline and suspended Rudolph for six months,
stayed in favor of a one-year
period of probation.
Interim Suspensions Issued
by the District of Columbia
Court of Appeals
In re Anna G. Aita. Bar No. 484726.
April 27, 2018. Aita was suspended on an interim basis
based upon discipline imposed
in Maryland.
In re Sung K. Chun. Bar No.
444215. May 7, 2018. Chun was
suspended on an interim basis
based upon discipline imposed
in Maryland.
In re Carl L. Epstein. Bar No.
411588. April 27, 2018. Epstein was
suspended on an interim basis
based upon discipline imposed
in Indiana.

In re Diane L. Kroupa. Bar No.
388667. May 3, 2018. In a reciprocal matter from Minnesota, the
D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
reciprocal discipline and disbarred Kroupa.

In re David E. Furrer. Bar No.
446343. March 9, 2018. Furrer was
suspended on an interim basis
based upon discipline imposed
in Maryland.

In re Alice A. Pellegrino. Bar No.
436499. May 3, 2018. In a reciprocal matter from Pennsylvania,
the D.C. Court of Appeals
imposed reciprocal discipline and

In re W. James Jonas III. Bar No.
422322. April 27, 2018. Jonas was
suspended on an interim basis
based upon discipline imposed
in Texas.

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40 WASHINGTON LAWYER

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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Washington Lawyer - August/September 2018

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