| Description: |
Erick A. Sabo (WSBA No. 24008, admitted
1994), of Port Ludlow, was ordered to receive a
reprimand following approval of a stipulation by
a hearing officer on August 9, 2011. This discipline
is based on conduct involving failure to provide
competent representation, failure to act with reasonable
diligence in a client matter, and engaging
in dishonest conduct.
Between March 2000 and July 2009, Mr. Sabo
allowed a client to send out thousands of form
collection letters on his letterhead bearing what
appeared to be, but was not, his signature. Those
letters contained statements of material fact that
Mr. Sabo knew to be false and misleading. Mr.
Sabo knowingly approved of the form collection
letters and authorized the manner in which they
were used by the client, but he failed to determine
and to advise the client that the use of those letters
could subject the client to liability under the
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Mr. Sabo’s conduct violated RPC 1.1, requiring
a lawyer to provide competent representation to
a client; RPC 1.3, requiring the lawyer to act with
reasonable diligence and promptness in representing
a client; RPC 8.4(a), prohibiting a lawyer
from violating or attempting to violate the Rules
of Professional Conduct, or knowingly assisting
or inducing another to do so, or doing so through
the acts of another; and RPC 8.4(c), prohibiting
a lawyer from engaging in conduct involving
dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
Scott G. Busby represented the Bar Association.
Mr. Sabo represented himself. Timothy J.
Parker was the hearing officer. |