Board of Professional Responsibility v. Shifrar

2012 WY 122, 286 P.3d 1027, 2012 Wyo. LEXIS 128, 2012 WL 3992970
Wyoming Supreme Court·Decided September 12, 2012·No. No. D-12-0005·Published

Opinion

ORDER OF DISBARMENT

[T1] This matter came before the Court upon a "Report and Recommendation for Disbarment," filed herein July 26, 2012, and an "Amended Report and Recommendation for Disbarment," filed herein August 17, 2012, by the Board of Professional Responsibility for the Wyoming State Bar. The Court, after a careful review of the Board of Professional Responsibility's Report and Recommendation, the Amended Report and Recommendation, and the file, finds that the Amended Report and Recommendation for Disbarment should be approved, confirmed, and adopted by the Court. It is, therefore,

[T2] ADJUDGED AND ORDERED that the Board of Professional Responsibility's Amended Report and Recommendation for [1028] Disbarment, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein, shall be, and the same hereby is, approved, confirmed, and adopted by this Court; and it is further

[13] ADJUDGED AND ORDERED that, effective this date, the Respondent, Mia Mikesell Shifrar, shall be, and hereby is, disbarred from the practice of law in this state; and it is further

[14] ORDERED that, pursuant to Seetion 26 of the Disciplinary Code for the Wyoming State Bar, Mia Mikesell Shifrar, shall reimburse the Wyoming State Bar the amount of $2,612.28, representing the costs incurred in handling this matter, as well as pay an administrative fee of $500.00. Mia Mikesell Shifrar shall pay the total amount of $3,112.28 to the Clerk of the Board of Professional Responsibility on or before November 30, 2012; and it is further

[15] ORDERED that, pursuant to See tion 4(c) of the Disciplinary Code for the Wyoming State Bar, Mia Mikesell Shifrar shall make restitution of $37,067.63 to the Estate of Leona Dorothy Spratt and also make restitution of $1,000 to James Spratt. Such payments shall be made in cash or certified funds; and it is further

[16] ORDERED that Respondent shall comply with Section 22 of the Disciplinary Code for the Wyoming State Bar. That Seetion governs the duties of disbarred and suspended attorneys; and it is further

[17] ORDERED that, pursuant to Section 4(a)iv) of the Disciplinary Code for the Wyoming State Bar, this Order of Disbarment, along with the incorporated Amended Report and Recommendation for Disbarment, shall be published in the Pacific Reporter; and it is further

[T8] ORDERED that the Clerk of this Court shall docket this Order of Disbarment, along with the Amended Report and Recommendation for Disbarment, as a matter coming regularly before this Court as a public record; and it is further

[19] ORDERED that the Clerk of this Court cause a copy of the Order of Disbarment to be served upon the Respondent, Mia Mikesell Shifrar; and it is further

[110] ORDERED that the Clerk of this Court transmit a copy of this Order of Disbarment to members of the Board of Professional Responsibility, and the clerks of the appropriate courts of the State of Wyoming.

[111] DATED this 12th day of September, 2012.

BY THE COURT:

/s/ MARILYN S. KITE

Chief Justice

Attachment

BEFORE THE BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

WYOMING STATE BAR

In the matter of MIA MIKESELL SHIFRAR, WSB # 6-3548, Respondent.

WSB No. 2012-023

AMENDED REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION FOR DISBARMENT

THIS MATTER having come on for hearing on the 27th day of June, 2012, at the Holiday Inn East, 721 Granite Peak Drive, Casper, Wyoming, before the Board of Professional Responsibility, and the Wyoming State Bar appearing by and through Mark W. Gifford, Bar Counsel, and Respondent appearing in person, and the Board having heard the testimony of witnesses and having reviewed the exhibits received into evidence at the hearing, and being fully advised in the premises, FINDS, CONCLUDES and RECOMMENDS:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Respondent has been licensed to practice law in the State of Wyoming since 2001, and has maintained, at all times relevant to this proceeding, a practice in Sheridan County, Wyoming.

2. In June 2011, Respondent entered into a Legal Fee Agreement pursuant to which Respondent undertook to represent James Spratt "in being the Personal Representative of Leona Dorothy Spratt." Mr. Spratt paid Respondent a "flat fee" of $1,000.00 in ad-

[1029] vance. Leona Dorothy Spratt had passed away on August 22, 2010, and was survived by three adult children, James Spratt, Tracy Spratt and Nathan Spratt.

3. On July 12, 2011, Respondent prepared, signed and filed a "Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Personal Representative" in the Fourth Judicial District Court, Johnson County, Wyoming, in The Matter of the Estate of Leona Dorothy Spratt, Probate No.2011-10. As a result of said petition, James Spratt was appointed Personal Representative of his mother's Estate, and Letters Testamentary were issued.

4. On August 9, 2011, Respondent prepared, signed and filed a "Petition for Order Approving Sale of Real Property" in the Leona Dorothy Spratt probate, seeking the Court's authorization to sell Mrs. Spratt's former residence, located at 170 Balsam, Buffalo, Wyoming. On August 9, 2011, the Court, acting through Christopher M. Wages, District Court Commissioner, entered an order approving the sale of the house.

5. On or about August 18, 2011, the house sale was closed, yielding net proceeds in the amount of $37,064.92. Respondent received a check for said amount, and deposited it into her IOLTA trust account on September 1, 2011.

6. Respondent later received a small check for interest accumulated on the house sale escrow in the amount of $2.71. This she deposited into her IOLTA trust account on September 13, 2011. Thus, the total funds held in Respondent's IOLTA trust account for the benefit of the Spratt estate, as of September 18, 2011, was $37,067.63.

7. In February of 2012, Bar Counsel received a complaint from James Spratt, who alleged that he had paid Respondent "up front" to probate the estate, his mother's house had been sold, and Respondent was holding the proceeds from the sale. Mr. Spratt also alleged that Respondent was failing to return multiple calls. Mr. Spratt alleged that he had terminated Respondent's representation in December of 2011, but that Respondent was not cooperating in transferring the file to replacement counsel.

8. On April 5, 2012, Buffalo lawyer Tucker Ruby entered an appearance in the probate. On April 9, 2012, Respondent delivered to Mr. Ruby a check drawn on Respondent's IOLTA account in the amount of $37,067.63, dated December 27, 2011, and made payable to "Estate of Leona Spratt."

9. On April 12, 2012, Bar Counsel served a Formal Charge upon Respondent by certified mail, return receipt requested. In the Formal Charge, it was alleged that Respondent's conduct violated Rules 1.1 (competence), 1.8 (diligence), 1.4 (communication), 1.5 (fees) and 1.15 (safekeeping property) in Respondent's representation of James Spratt. It was further alleged that Respondent had failed to timely respond to a request from Bar Counsel, in violation of Seetion 2(c) of the Disciplinary Code for the Wyoming State Bar.

10. On April 13, 2012, Respondent signed the certified mail return receipt for the Formal Charge.

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Board of Professional Responsibility v. Shifrar, 2012 WY 122, 286 P.3d 1027, 2012 Wyo. LEXIS 128, 2012 WL 3992970 (Wyo. 2012).

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