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Clinton Jonathon Sonny Behrends (WSBA No. 45371, admitted 2012) of Bothell, WA, resigned in lieu of discipline, effective 2/05/2020. Behrends agrees that he is aware of the alleged misconduct in disciplinary counsel’s Statement of Alleged Misconduct and rather than defend against the allegations, he wishes to permanently resign from membership in the Association. The Statement of Alleged Misconduct contains the following alleged violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.1 (Competence), 1.3 (Diligence), 1.5 (Fees), 1.6 (Confidentiality of Information), 1.15A (Safeguarding Property), 1.16 (Declining or Terminating Representation), 5.3 (Responsibilities Regarding Nonlawyer Assistants), 8.4 (Misconduct).
Behrends’ alleged misconduct, as stated in disciplinary counsel’s Statement of Alleged Misconduct, related to his representation of multiple clients and involved areas of law including personal injury, family law, criminal law, and employment law. His alleged misconduct includes: 1) taking legal fees his employer was entitled to receive; 2) telling his employer that he had only taken two clients without the firm’s knowledge, when in fact he had taken more; 3) charging and collecting unreasonable fees; 4) failing to diligently represent clients; 5) failing to return unearned fees and client files; 6) failing to deposit fees identified as flat fees that did not comply with RPC 1.5(f)(2) into a trust account; 7) failing to appear at court hearings, and failing to advise or take action to resolve matters related to a client’s criminal matters; 8) telling a client he had filed an appeal and sent letters on the client’s behalf when he had not; 9) failing to adequately supervise his staff; 10) disclosing information related to his clients’ representation; and 11) failing to timely respond to disciplinary counsel’s written requests for responses, failing to timely produce client files, and failing to appear for deposition.
Kathy Jo Blake acted as disciplinary counsel. David Carl Burkett represented Respondent. The online version of Washington State Bar News contains a link to the following document: Resignation Form of Clinton Jonathon Sonny Behrends ELC 9.3(b).
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