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Tarik Polovina (WSBA No. 52816, admitted 2017) of Everett, was suspended for 2 years, effective 1/25/2023, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. The lawyer’s conduct violated the following Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.3 (Diligence), 1.4 (Communication), 1.5 (Fees), 3.2 (Expediting Litigation), 8.4(c) (Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit or Misrepresentation), 8.4(l) ELC Violation.
In relation to his representation of a client in a family law matter, the Hearing Officer recommended, and the Supreme Court ordered, that Polovina be suspended following a hearing. Polovina was found to have violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by: 1) failing to respond to the State’s pleadings in a parentage matter or to the State’s requests for information, by failing to appear at a summary judgment hearing, and by failing to file a motion for an emergency hearing; 2) failing to communicate with his client regarding the status of a parentage matter, by failing to inform his client about the State’s pleadings, the State’s requests for information, and the summary judgment hearing in the parentage matter, and by providing false information to his client about the reason for the court’s child support order; 3) providing false information to his client’s new counsel; 4) falsely communicating to his client about the services Polovina performed and the hours billed; 5) charging his client a fee for work not performed; and 6) failing to respond to ODC’s request for a response to the grievance, and by failing to attend the deposition, as required by ELC 5.3(g) and ELC 5.5(d).
Henry Cruz acted as disciplinary counsel. Tarik Polovina represented himself. James D. Hicks was the hearing officer. The online version of Washington State Bar News contains links to the following documents: Hearing Officer’s Recommendation; Disciplinary Board Order Declining Sua Sponte Review and Adopting Hearing Officer’s Recommendation; and Washington Supreme Court Order.
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