Attorney Discipline, 0216 WYBJ, Vol. 39 No. 1. 56

• Position: Vol. 39 1 Pg. 56

Attorney Discipline

Vol. 39 No. 1 Pg. 56

Wyoming Bar Journal

February, 2016

PRIVATE REPRIMAND

The Review and Oversight Committee of the Wyoming State Bar issued a private reprimand to an attorney who undertook to represent a client in a potential personal injury action for injuries the client suffered in a workplace accident. Subsequent investigation of the claim by the attorney revealed that the client suffered from pre-existing health conditions that compromised the viability of the claim. That factor, in connection with the existence of a substantial worker's compensation lien and other considerations, led the attorney to the conclusion that the claim had a very low likelihood of success. However, by the time the attorney came to that conclusion, the statute of limitations had expired. The attorney notified the client, who then submitted a complaint to the Office of Bar Counsel. Upon receipt of the complaint, the attorney admitted that he violated Rule 1.3 (diligence) of the Wyoming Rules of Professional Conduct in failing to calendar the...