Washington Lawyer - July/August 2024 - 48

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARIES
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Disciplinary Actions Taken by the
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Original Matters
In re Alvin S. Brown. Bar No. 263681. March 7,
2024. The D.C. Court of Appeals suspended
Brown for 60 days and ordered that, as a condition
of reinstatement, he make restitution
to the client of $4,000 (plus 6 percent interest
since June 13, 2016) and prove his fitness to
practice law. Specifically, while retained to
represent a client with a New York tax issue,
Brown did not provide competent representation,
neglected (and intentionally neglected)
the client's case, failed to adequately
communicate with the client, charged an unreasonable
fee, did not put an unearned fee
in his trust account, and failed to return an
unearned fee to the client in violation of
Rules 1.1(a), 1.3(a), 1.3(b)(1), 1.3(c), 1.4(a), 1.5(a),
1.15(e), and 1.16(d).
In re John M. Burkman Jr. Bar No. 463259.
March 21, 2024. The D.C. Court of Appeals disbarred
Burkman by consent, pursuant to D.C.
Bar R. XI, § 12.
In re Pablo A. Zamora. Bar No. 998467. March
7, 2024. The D.C. Court of Appeals suspended
Zamora for eight months and ordered him to
pay $750 plus interest in restitution and attend
a continuing legal education program
regarding flat-fee billing practices. In an immigration
matter, Zamora negligently misappropriated
client funds, neglected his client's
case, failed to keep complete records of entrusted
funds, failed to give sufficient notice
of his withdrawal from the representation,
and failed to refund unearned fees in violation
of Rules 1.3(a), 1.15(a), 1.15(b), 1.15(e), and
1.16(d).
Reciprocal Matters
In re Duncan K. Brent. Bar No. 445234. February
1, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from Virginia,
the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed substantially
different reciprocal discipline and
suspended him for one day and one year
with reinstatement conditioned upon a
showing of fitness and his reinstatement in
the state of Virginia. In Virginia, Brent was
found to have neglected a legal matter resulting
in prejudice to a client, failed to honor
a medical provider's lien when disbursing
settlement funds, and failed to cooperate
with disciplinary investigations.
In re William R. Buie III. Bar No. 471135. March
28, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from Maryland,
the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
identical reciprocal discipline and suspended
Buie for 180 days, fully stayed in favor of one
year of probation conditioned on Buie's compliance
with the remaining probationary
terms in Maryland.
In re Angelique Layton. Bar No. 427713. February
1, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from Colorado,
the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed reciprocal
discipline and disbarred Layton with
reinstatement conditioned upon reinstatement
in the state of Colorado. In Colorado,
Layton was found to have acted incompetently,
failed to communicate with clients,
failed to provide a written fee agreement, improperly
disclosed information relating to the
representation of a client, asserted frivolous
claims, falsified evidence, threatened disciplinary
charges to obtain advantage in a civil
matter, made knowingly false statements in
a disciplinary matter, engaged in dishonesty,
and engaged in the unauthorized practice of
law.
In re Richard L. Sloane. Bar No. 489140. February
1, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from Maryland,
the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
functionally equivalent reciprocal discipline
and suspended Sloane for six months with
fitness, nunc pro tunc to June 30, 2023. In
Maryland, Sloane was found to have failed to
comply with discovery orders, obstructed
court proceedings, and made misrepresentations
to a court.
In re Ronald Andre Stewart. Bar No. 490341.
February 1, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from
Tennessee, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
an indefinite disability suspension pursuant
to D.C. Bar R. XI, § 13(e), and ordered
that prior to filing a petition for reinstatement,
he must first be reinstated to practice
law in the state of Tennessee.
Interim Suspensions Issued by
the D.C. Court of Appeals
In re Sonya N. Armfield. Bar No. 491717. March
21, 2024. The D.C. Court of Appeals immediately
suspended Armfield pending resolution
of her underlying disciplinary matter pursuant
to D.C. Bar R. XI, § 13(c).
In re Mark A. Black. Bar No. 476206. February
27, 2024. Black was suspended on an interim
basis based upon his conviction of a serious
crime in the United States District Court for
the Eastern District of Virginia.
In re Sara J. King. Bar No. 1033988. March 29,
2024. King was suspended on an interim basis
based upon her conviction of a serious
crime in the United States District Court for
the Central District of California.
In re Sari Karson Kurland. Bar No. 424297.
March 18, 2024. Kurland was suspended on
an interim basis based on an order of the
Montgomery County, Maryland, Circuit Court
temporarily enjoining Kurland from the practice
of law in the state of Maryland.
In re James A. Moody. Bar No. 294504. March
26, 2024. Moody was suspended on an interim
basis pursuant to D.C. Bar R. XI, § 9(g),
pending final action on the Board on Professional
Responsibility's February 1, 2024, recommendation
of disbarment.
In re Mehak Naveed. Bar No. 1032942. February
23, 2024. Naveed was suspended on an
interim basis pursuant to D.C. Bar R. XI, § 9(g),
pending final action on the Board on Professional
Responsibility's November 27, 2023,
recommendation of a six-month suspension
with fitness.
In re Nema Sayadian. Bar No. 991138. March 13,
2024. Sayadian was suspended on an interim
basis based upon discipline imposed in Maryland.
Informal
Admonitions Issued by
the Office of Disciplinary Counsel
In re Fabiola Cagigal. Bar No. 1008854. February
7, 2024. The Office of Disciplinary Counsel
issued Cagigal an informal admonition. While
retained to represent a client in an immigra>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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