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Elizabeth B. Matthews (WSBA No. 8777, admitted 1978), of Monroe, Louisiana, was suspended for three years and one day, effective August 17, 2007, by order of the Washington State Supreme Court imposing reciprocal discipline in accordance with an order from the Supreme Court of the State of Colorado. This discipline was based on conduct in nine client matters involving neglect of legal matters, failure to communicate with clients, failure to protect client interests, disobedience of an obligation under the rules of a tribunal, and assisting in the unauthorized practice of law. For more information, see The Colorado Lawyer (September 2005), available at www.cobar.org/tcl. Elizabeth B. Matthews is to be distinguished from Elizabeth D. Mathews of Seattle.
Ms. Matthew's conduct violated Colorado RPC 1.3, requiring a lawyer to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client and prohibiting a lawyer from neglecting a legal matter entrusted to that lawyer; Colorado RPC 1.4(a), requiring a lawyer to keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter, to promptly comply with reasonable requests for information, and to explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation; Colorado RPC 1.16(d), requiring that, upon termination of representation, a lawyer take steps to the extent reasonably practicable to protect a client's interests; Colorado RPC 3.4(c), prohibiting a lawyer from knowingly disobeying an obligation under the rules of a tribunal except for an open refusal based on an assertion that no valid obligation exists; and Colorado RPC 5.5(a), prohibiting a lawyer from practicing law in a jurisdiction where doing so violates the regulations of the legal profession in that jurisdiction.
Felice P. Congalton represented the Bar Association. Ms. Matthews represented herself. |