In the Matter of Carl Lawrence Collins

895 S.E.2d 282, 317 Ga. 725

• Court: Supreme Court of Georgia
• Decided: November 7, 2023
• Docket: S23Y1064
• Status: Published

Opinion

317 Ga. 725 FINAL COPY

S23Y1064. IN THE MATTER OF CARL LAWRENCE COLLINS.

PER CURIAM.

This disciplinary matter is before the Court on the petition filed

by Carl Lawrence Collins (State Bar No. 110769) seeking the

voluntary suspension of his license to practice law pending the

outcome of an appeal of his criminal convictions. Collins, who has

been a member of the State Bar of Georgia since 2014, admits that,

on November 16, 2022, he was found guilty, in the United States

District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern

Division, of five counts of making a false tax return, in violation of

26 USC § 7206 (1). Collins further acknowledges that his convictions

constitute violations of Rule 8.4 (a) (2) of the Georgia Rules of

Professional Conduct, found in Bar Rule 4-102 (d). The maximum

penalty for a violation of Rule 8.4 (a) (2) is disbarment. The Bar did

not file a response to Collins’s petition, and Special Master Michael Joseph Blakely, Jr., filed a report and recommendation suggesting

that this Court accept Collins’s petition.

Having reviewed Collins’s petition and the special master’s

report, we agree that the petition should be accepted. See In the

Matter of Rachel, 297 Ga. 279 (773 SE2d 246) (2015) (accepting

petition seeking voluntary suspension of license pending outcome of

appeal of criminal conviction). See also In the Matter of Swank, 288

Ga. 479 (704 SE2d 807) (2011) (accepting petition for interim

suspension during pendency of criminal charges). Accordingly, it is

hereby ordered that Carl Lawrence Collins be suspended from the

practice of law in this State pending the outcome of his direct appeal

and until further order of this Court. Collins is ordered to notify the

State Bar’s Office of General Counsel in writing within ten days of

the final disposition of his direct appeal, and he is further ordered to

comply with the notification and other requirements of Bar Rule 4-

219 (b).

Petition for interim suspension accepted. Suspended until further order of this Court. All the Justices concur.

2 Decided November 7, 2023.

Suspension.

Paula J. Frederick, General Counsel State Bar, William D.

NeSmith III, Deputy General Counsel State Bar, Jenny K.

Mittelman, James S. Lewis, Assistant General Counsel State Bar, for

State Bar of Georgia.