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Jody Patrick Brion (WSBA No. 25761, admitted 1996), of Anchorage, Alaska, was suspended for three years, with two years of suspension stayed, effective April 28, 2010, by order of the Washington State Supreme Court imposing reciprocal discipline in accordance with an order from the Alaska Supreme Court. This discipline is based on conduct involving failure to act with reasonable diligence, failure to communicate the basis of his fees and to provide accounts of hours billed, and failure to properly care for client property. For more information, see In re Disciplinary Matter Involving Brion, 212 P.3d 748 (Alaska 2009).
Mr. Brion’s conduct violated Alaska’s RPC 1.3, requiring a lawyer to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client; Alaska’s RPC 1.4, requiring a lawyer to keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter, promptly comply with reasonable requests for information, explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation, promptly inform the client of any decision or circumstance that requires the client’s informed consent, and inform the client in writing if the lawyer does not have malpractice insurance pursuant to the rules; Alaska’s RPC 1.5, prohibiting a lawyer from making an agreement for, charging, or collecting an unreasonable fee or an unreasonable amount for expenses and requiring the lawyer to communicate the basis or rate of the fee, if a fee will exceed $1,000, to the client in a written fee agreement; and Alaska’s RPC 1.15, requiring a lawyer to hold property of clients or third persons separate from the lawyer’s own property and to keep funds of clients or third persons in a separate account maintained in the state where the lawyer’s office is situated, or elsewhere with the consent of the client or the third person.
Joanne S. Abelson represented the Bar Association. Mr. Brion represented himself.
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