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Arthur Boelter (WSBA No. 9213, admitted 1979), of Seattle, received a reprimand on July 26, 2002, based on a stipulation approved by the Disciplinary Board in May 2002. This discipline is based on his lack of diligence and failure to adequately supervise assistants in 1998 and 1999.
In October 1998, Mr. Boelter agreed to represent a client in a bankruptcy proceeding. The client worked in Kuwait, so communication was by facsimile. Mr. Boelter assigned the client’s case to a contract lawyer in his office. The contract lawyer filed the bankruptcy petition in November 1998. In January 1999, the court dismissed the petition because neither the client nor the lawyer attended the 341 Meeting of Creditors. Mr. Boelter’s office did not forward the dismissal order to the client. The contract lawyer filed a motion to vacate the dismissal and a motion to have the first creditors’ meeting by written interrogatory. The hearing on these motions was continued several times and then stricken by the Trustee. In May 1999, the Bankruptcy Trustee returned the client’s $3,085 in payments to him. After the court closed the client’s case, Mr. Boelter sent the client a bill for $2,893.33.
Mr. Boelter’s conduct violated RPCs 1.3, requiring lawyers to diligently represent their clients; 5.1, requiring lawyers having direct supervisory authority over another lawyer to make reasonable efforts to ensure that the other lawyer conforms to the RPCs; and 5.3, requiring lawyers having direct supervisory authority over nonlawyers, to make reasonable efforts to ensure that they conform to the RPCs.
Barbara Duffy and Jonathan Burke represented the Bar Association. Kurt Bulmer represented Mr. Boelter.
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