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Janet Irons (WSBA No. 12687, admitted 1982), of Bellevue, received a reprimand on September 13, 2002, based on a stipulation approved by the Disciplinary Board. This discipline is based on her conduct during 1998 through 2000, involving lack of diligence, advancing financial assistance to a client, negligent misrepresentation and failure to cooperate with the disciplinary investigation.
Matter 1: In 1998, Ms. Irons filed a complaint against her clients’ former employer, asking for past due sales commissions. Ms. Irons did not timely answer the defendant’s discovery requests and failed to appear at the defendant’s motion to compel answers to discovery. The court ordered that Ms. Irons’ client provide discovery within 10 days and imposed $750.00 in attorney’s fees. When Ms. Irons failed to comply with the court order to provide discovery, the court granted the defendant’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice. Ms. Irons, however, told the clients that the lawsuit was still pending.
Matter 2: In June 1998, Ms. Irons agreed to represent a mother in the probate of her daughter’s estate. Ms. Irons maintained some of the estate funds in her trust account. In January 2000, Mr. Irons wrote the client a $3,000 check, however, the estate had only $1,133.60 in the trust account. In February 2000, Ms. Irons paid another estate beneficiary $2,100. The estate had no funds in the trust account at this time. Ms. Irons knowingly advanced her own funds to cover these estate disbursements.
Matter 3: Ms. Irons failed to cooperate with disciplinary counsel’s investigation of this matter. The Supreme Court interimly suspended her license to practice law for approximately 28 days. After the suspension, Ms. Irons cooperated with the investigation.
Ms. Irons’ conduct violated RPCs 1.1, requiring lawyers to provide competent representation to clients; 1.3, requiring lawyers to diligently represent their clients; RPC 8.4(c), prohibiting conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation; RPC 1.8(e), prohibiting lawyers from advancing financial assistance to clients; and RLD 2.8(a) and (b), requiring lawyers to cooperate with the disciplinary investigation.
Becky Neal represented the Bar Association. Robert Wayne represented Ms. Irons.
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