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Glenn E. Reed (WSBA No. 5328, admitted 1973), of Tucson, AZ, was disbarred effective July 1, 2003, by order of the Washington State Supreme Court approving a stipulation. Mr. Reed stipulated to a substantial likelihood that the Association would prove these facts at a hearing. This discipline was based on his conduct in 2001 and 2002, involving theft of client funds and writing checks on closed accounts.
Matter 1: In 2001, Mr. Reed received a client's settlement check, and agreed to deposit the check in his trust account and pay the client's medical bills. Mr. Reed deposited the check into his trust account, but used the money for his own benefit. Mr. Reed gave the client false responses to his questions about why Mr. Reed had not yet paid the client's medical bills. In February 2002, the bank closed Mr. Reed's IOLTA account apparently due to insufficient funds to cover items presented. As of the date of the stipulation, Mr. Reed had not paid the medical bills or delivered the settlement funds to the client.
Matter 2: In May 2002, the Association received notification that Mr. Reed's trust account was overdrawn. The bank stated that the account had been opened in February 2002, with a $10 deposit and then had over $5,000 in returned checks in a 10-day period in May 2002. The bank did not receive any deposits to cover the checks. Mr. Reed wrote a $4,500 check against this account and then stopped payment on the check that same day. He also wrote several checks to local businesses knowing that he did not have funds in the account to meet the checks when presented. This account was not set up as an IOLTA account.
Matter 3: Between June 20 and June 24, 2002, Mr. Reed wrote nine checks to a grocery store, totaling $564.75, and seven checks to a market, totaling $490.56. Mr. Reed wrote all of these checks on an account that he knew was closed. Some of the checks were written for more than the amount of the purchase, so Mr. Reed could obtain cash. Mr. Reed stipulated that his actions were part of a common scheme or plan with the intent to defraud the grocery and the market. As of the date of the stipulation, Mr. Reed had not paid all of the money owing.
Mr. Reed's conduct violated RPCs 8.4(b), prohibiting committing a criminal act [theft] that reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects; and 8.4(c), prohibiting conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
Jean McElroy represented the Bar Association. John W. Murphy represented Mr. Reed.
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