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Lynnwood lawyer Stephen B. Blanchard (WSBA No. 12294, admitted 1982) has been ordered censured by the Disciplinary Board, which, on April 8, 1998, approved his stipulation for discipline. The discipline is based on Blanchard’s four-month neglect of a child support modification matter, failure to communicate his client’s acceptance of a settlement offer, failure to communicate with his client, withdrawal of advanced fees from trust before they were earned, and failure to cooperate with the grievance investigation. Blanchard was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $1,887.50.
In April 1995, Blanchard was retained to represent a client seeking a post dissolution modification of child support. The client paid Blanchard $1,500 in advanced fees and costs. Following some initial investigation and attempts at negotiation, Blanchard failed to file any pleadings with the court, failed to actively pursue negotiations, failed to communicate his client’s acceptance of a settlement offer increasing child support from $150 to $425 per month, and failed to timely respond to his client’s requests for information. Blanchard also withdrew his client’s advanced fees from trust before they were earned, offsetting the deficit by giving his client a credit balance on trust account records and billing statements. Finally, Blanchard failed to respond to the Bar Association’s grievance investigation, requiring the Bar Association to serve Blanchard with a subpoena and deposition notice. Blanchard’s conduct violated RPC 1.3 (diligence), RPC 3.2 (expediting litigation), RPC 1.2(a) (abiding by a client’s decision to accept an offer of settlement), RPC 1.4 (communicating with client), RPC 1.14 (preserving client’s property), and RLD 2.8 (respondent lawyer’s duties in disciplinary investigation).
Blanchard represented himself. The Bar Association was represented by Disciplinary Counsel Marsha A. Matsumoto.
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