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March 03, 2023

Georgia Supreme Court Disbars Attorney for Client Abandonment

The Supreme Court of Georgia recently disbarred an attorney for overcharging and abandoning a client. According to the court’s Order, the attorney abandoned her immigration client despite making unexplained withdrawals from the client’s bank account in excess of the agreed-upon retainer. Despite failing to provide the client with the necessary information to confirm representation in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement portal, the attorney’s staff assured the client that the case was moving forward. The client eventually visited the attorney’s office, where he found that the attorney had abandoned the office and provided no forwarding information. The court found that the attorney violated Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2 (Scope of Representation); 1.3 (Diligence); 1.15(I) (Safekeeping Property); 1.15(III) (Trust Account Overdraft Notification); 1.16 (Terminating Representation); 8.1 (Bar Admission and Disciplinary Measures); and 8.4 (Misconduct), ultimately disbarring the attorney. 

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