Washington Lawyer - March/April 2025 - 42

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARIES
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Disciplinary Actions Taken by the District
of Columbia Court of Appeals
Original Matters
In re Steven Kreiss. Bar No. 58297. October 10,
2024. The D.C. Court of Appeals suspended
Kreiss for one year with fitness for violations
of Rules 1.1(a) and (b), 1.3(a), 1.3(b)(2), 1.4(a)
and (b), 1.5(a), 1.15(a), 1.16(d), and 8.4(c). In
connection with his representation of a client
who sought to become a permanent resident
and to avoid deportation, Kreiss failed
to represent his client with competence, skill,
and care; failed to act diligently during the
representation; failed to keep the client informed;
intentionally prejudiced the client
during the course of the professional relationship;
and engaged in dishonesty. In addition,
Kreiss charged an unreasonable fee,
failed to keep records of entrusted funds, and
failed to return the client's file and papers.
In re James M. Loots. Bar No. 384763. October
24, 2024. The D.C. Court of Appeals indefinitely
suspended Loots based on disability pursuant
to D.C. Bar R. XI, § 13(c).
In re Richard L. Sloane. Bar No. 489140. October
4, 2024. The D.C. Court of Appeals granted
Sloane's petition for reinstatement.
In re Cheryl Moat Taylor. Bar No. 448435. November
21, 2024. The D.C. Court of Appeals
indefinitely suspended Taylor based on disability
pursuant to D.C. Bar R. XI, § 13(c).
Reciprocal Matters
In re Lawrence J. Anderson. Bar No. 439983.
October 3, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from
Maryland, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
reciprocal discipline and disbarred Anderson
with reinstatement conditioned upon reinstatement
in Maryland. The Supreme Court
of Maryland disbarred Anderson for misconduct
involving intentional misappropriation
of client funds.
In re Carl H. Franklin. Bar No. 438829. November
21, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from Louisiana,
the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed reciprocal
discipline and suspended Franklin
for six months, stayed in favor of a one-year
probation wherein he must comply with the
conditions imposed in Louisiana. In Louisiana,
Franklin acknowledged mishandling his trust
account.
In re Marcy Gendel. Bar No. 306183. November
21, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from New
Jersey, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed reciprocal
discipline and suspended Gendel for
one year, nunc pro tunc to September 26,
2024, with reinstatement conditioned upon a
showing of fitness. In New Jersey, Gendel was
found to have negligently misappropriated
client funds, committed a criminal act reflecting
adversely on her honesty, trustworthiness,
or fitness as a lawyer, and dishonesty.
In re John C. Heath. Bar No. 486041. November
27, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from Utah, the
D.C. Court of Appeals imposed reciprocal discipline
and placed Heath on a two-year probation
wherein he must comply with the conditions
imposed in Utah. In Utah, Heath was
found to have misled clients into believing
that credit repair services would be performed
by lawyers and to have improperly charged
advance fees for credit repair services.
In re Francis H. Koh. Bar No. 486602. November
21, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from Virginia,
the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed reciprocal
discipline and suspended Koh for six
months. In Virginia, Koh was found to have
acted incompetently, neglected client matters,
failed to supervise nonattorney staff, and
improperly signed documents submitted to
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
In re Brian M. Kurtyka. Bar No. 440410. October
31, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from
Maryland, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
reciprocal discipline and disbarred Kurtyka
with reinstatement conditioned upon reinstatement
in Maryland. The Supreme Court
of Maryland disbarred Kurtyka after he pled
guilty to two counts of embezzlement and
one count of forgery.
In re Jibran Muhammad. Bar No. 1024558. November
27, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from
Virginia, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
reciprocal discipline and suspended Muhammad
for six months, nunc pro tunc to November
14, 2024. The Virginia State Bar Disciplinary
Board found Muhammad engaged in
dishonesty, failed to safeguard client property,
neglected multiple clients in immigration
matters, and failed to represent those clients
with the diligence and competence expected
of an attorney.
In re Danielle Alexandra Phillips. Bar No.
1673229. October 3, 2024. In a reciprocal matter
from the United States District Court for
the District of New Mexico, the D.C. Court of
Appeals imposed reciprocal discipline and
disbarred Phillips. The U.S. District Court for
the District of New Mexico permanently disbarred
Phillips after she pled guilty to one
count of conspiracy to defraud the United
States through wire fraud.
In re Michael S. Rosier. Bar No. 373449. November
21, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from
Maryland, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
reciprocal discipline and suspended Rosier
for 30 days, stayed in favor of six months' probation
wherein he must comply with the
conditions imposed in Maryland. The Supreme
Court of Maryland suspended Rosier
for misconduct involving failure to communicate,
mishandling of client funds, poor recordkeeping,
failure to protect client interests,
and improper contact with a represented
party.
In re William H. Thompson Jr. Bar No. 439132.
October 24, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from
Virginia, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
substantially different reciprocal discipline
and suspended Thompson for six months
with fitness. In Virginia, Thompson failed to
comply with trust account monitoring requirements
from a 2022 Virginia disciplinary
order and consented to a six-month suspension.
In
re Sherri L. Washington. Bar No. 975044.
October 31, 2024. In a reciprocal matter from
Georgia, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
reciprocal discipline and disbarred Washington
with reinstatement conditioned upon reinstatement
in Georgia. The Supreme Court
of Georgia disbarred Washington for dishonesty
and repeated neglect of client matters.
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42 WASHINGTON LAWYER
* MARCH/APRIL 2025
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2025

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