Washington Lawyer - May 2020 - 44

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARIES

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Disciplinary Actions Taken by the
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Original Matters
In re John W. Davis. Bar No. 931600. January
14, 2020. The D.C. Court of Appeals indefinitely suspended Davis based on disability.
In re Chidinma M. Iwuji. Bar No. 478118.
January 2, 2020. The D.C. Court of Appeals
accepted Iwuji's petition for negotiated discipline and issued her a public censure with
the conditions that she (1) take three hours
of preapproved continuing legal education,
(2) complete a practice management assessment, and (3) comply with the requirements
of an assigned practice monitor for one year.
Iwuji engaged in commingling of funds and
failed to maintain complete records of
entrusted funds in violation of D.C. Rule of
Professional Conduct 1.15(a).
In re Gregory L. Lattimer. Bar No. 371926.
January 16, 2020. In a consolidated matter
made up of two separate cases, the D.C.
Court of Appeals suspended Lattimer for 60
days with fitness and the requirement that
he pay restitution to one client in the
amount of $4,500, plus statutory interest,
and provide to Disciplinary Counsel proof of
restitution prior to reinstatement. In the first
matter, Lattimer failed to keep two clients
reasonably informed about the status of the
matter and to promptly comply with reasonable requests for information in violation of
D.C. Rule 1.4(a). In the second matter,
Lattimer violated Virginia Rules 1.1, 1.3(a), and
8.4(c) pertaining to competence, diligence
and promptness, and dishonesty.
In re Frederic W. Schwartz Jr. Bar No. 197137.
December 19, 2019. The D.C. Court of
Appeals adopted the Board on Professional
Responsibility's recommendation that
Schwartz receive an informal admonition.
While retained to represent a client who
sought an adjustment of his immigration
status, Schwartz failed to keep his client
reasonably informed about the status of
his case. Rule 1.4(a).
In re Justin Alan Torres. Bar No. 1003136.
December 12, 2019. The D.C. Court of
Appeals disbarred Torres, nunc pro tunc
to June 27, 2019, pursuant to D.C. Code

§ 11-2503(a), based on his conviction of a
crime involving moral turpitude per se.
Torres pled guilty in the Court of Common
Pleas of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, to multiple
felony counts of gross sexual imposition in
violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2907.05(A)(4)
(criminalizing sexual contact with a child
under the age of 13 without requiring proof
that the defendant knew the exact age of
the child). The court determined that this
offense involved moral turpitude per se
because no offender could reasonably but
mistakenly believe the child was old enough
to give legal consent.
Reciprocal Matters
In re Richard M. Blank. Bar No. 451935.
December 19, 2019. In a reciprocal matter
from New York, the D.C. Court of Appeals
imposed a reciprocal disability suspension
pursuant to D.C. Bar R. XI § 13.
In re Stuart R. Blatt. Bar No. 944405.
December 19, 2019. In a reciprocal matter
from Maryland, the D.C. Court of Appeals
imposed identical reciprocal discipline and
disbarred Blatt, nunc pro tunc to August 30,
2019. In Maryland, Blatt was found to have
intentionally misappropriated entrusted
funds.
In re John J. Good Jr. Bar No. 975476. January
30, 2020. In a reciprocal matter from Virginia,
the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed equivalent reciprocal discipline and disbarred
Good. In Virginia, Good was found to have
abandoned multiple client matters, failed to
return client property at the conclusion of
the representation, failed to communicate
with clients, and failed to comply with
Virginia Bar Counsel's subpoenas.
In re Kim Y. Johnson-Ball. Bar No. 451982.
January 30, 2020. In a reciprocal matter from
Maryland, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
identical reciprocal discipline and disbarred
Johnson-Ball. In Maryland, Johnson-Ball was
found to have violated court orders, made
inaccurate representations to a court, and
intentionally misappropriated client funds
for her personal use and benefit.
In re Kenneth S. Kaufman. Bar No. 401139.
January 30, 2020. In a reciprocal matter from
Maryland, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed

identical reciprocal discipline and disbarred
Kaufman. In Maryland, Kaufman was found
to have abandoned a client, failed to return
an unearned fee, and refused to cooperate
with Maryland Bar Counsel's disciplinary
inquiries.
In re Charles A. Murray. Bar No. 59089.
December 19, 2019. In a reciprocal matter
from Florida, the D.C. Court of Appeals
imposed functionally equivalent reciprocal
discipline and suspended Murray for 180
days with fitness. In Florida, Murray was
found to have assisted in the unauthorized
practice of law, fraudulently signed a client's
name on verifications purportedly made
under penalty of perjury, failed to communicate with a client, improperly shared fees
with nonlawyers, and made false statements
in a disciplinary proceeding.
In re Katherine R. Nussbaum. Bar No. 499680.
January 30, 2020. In a reciprocal matter from
Illinois, the D.C. Court of Appeals imposed
equivalent reciprocal discipline and suspended Nussbaum for one year with fitness.
In Illinois, Nussbaum was found to have
neglected two client matters, failed to
refund unearned fees, failed to return a
client's file, knowingly engaged in the unauthorized practice of law while administratively suspended, and repeatedly failed to
cooperate in a disciplinary investigation.
In re Jonathan K. O'Neill. Bar No. 497405.
December 19, 2019. In a reciprocal matter
from Maryland, the D.C. Court of Appeals
imposed functionally equivalent reciprocal
discipline and indefinitely suspended O'Neill,
with the right to seek reinstatement after
five years or after reinstatement by the state
of Maryland, whichever occurs first. Further,
the right to file a petition for reinstatement is
contingent on a medical provider, acceptable to Disciplinary Counsel, deeming O'Neill
fit to practice law. In Maryland, O'Neill was
found to have abandoned his law practice
and allowed his nonlawyer office manager to
provide legal advice to a client.

Interim Suspensions Issued by the
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
In re Oladipo Akin-Deko. Bar No. 983020.
January 29, 2020. Akin-Deko was suspended

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44 WASHINGTON LAWYER

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MAY 2020
Washington Lawyer - May 2020

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