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Dennis K. Pflug (WSBA No. 11930, admitted 1981), of Seattle, received a reprimand on April 11, 2003, following a stipulation approved by the Disciplinary Board. This discipline was based on his conduct in the 1990s involving a boundary line dispute.
In 1987, Mr. Pflug represented three clients in a boundary line dispute. In October 1990 a written settlement agreement was circulated among the parties. Mr. Pflug’s letter to his clients indicated that all of the defendants had already signed the agreement. In fact, two of the five defendants had not yet signed. The final survey was completed in 1991 and Mr. Pflug made minor modifications to the agreement and circulated it for signature. Counsel for one of the defendants asked Mr. Pflug to make certain that the executed agreement and quit claim deeds were properly recorded to finalize the case. Mr. Pflug sent the new agreement to the defendants, but the same defendants who did not sign the first time delayed again. In May 1992, the court dismissed the lawsuit for lack of prosecution. Mr. Pflug’s clients believed that the case settled when they signed the original (1990) settlement agreement. In 1999, the clients realized the settlement had not been finalized and that the dispute was not resolved.
Mr. Pflug’s conduct violated RPCs, 1.1, requiring lawyers to provide competent representation; 1.3 and 3.2, requiring lawyers to provide diligent representation; 1.4(a), requiring lawyers to keep clients reasonably informed of the status of their matters; 1.4(b), requiring lawyers to explain matters to clients to the extent necessary to allow the client’s to make informed decisions about the representation.
Kevin Bank represented the Bar Association. Mr. Pflug represented himself.
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