Attorney Discipline, 1017 WYBJ, Vol. 40 No. 5. 59

Attorney Discipline

Vol. 40 No. 5 Pg. 59

Wyoming Bar Journal

October, 2017

The Wyoming Supreme Court issued an order suspending Cody lawyer Nick Beduhn from the practice of law for a period of two years. T e order of suspension resulted from professional misconduct by Beduhn in a number of client matters, including violation of Beduhn’s duties of competence, diligence, and maintaining communication with clients. Beduhn’s neglect in several cases, including his failure to appear at scheduled hearings, led to the assessment of monetary and other sanctions against clients, some of which were paid by Beduhn personally. In two cases, his clients’ cases were dismissed because of Beduhn’s neglect. In one case, a client paid Beduhn $500.00 for the cost of a hearing transcript in connection with an appeal but Beduhn never obtained the transcript. T is conduct constituted a violation of Beduhn’s duty to safeguard client property.

When Beduhn failed to respond to a formal disciplinary charge brought by Bar Counsel for the Wyoming State Bar which consolidated six complaints submitted against Beduhn, a sanction hearing was held before the Board of Professional Responsibility. Following the hearing, at which Beduhn appeared and offered evidence of mitigating circumstances, the Board made a recommendation to the Wyoming Supreme Court to suspend Beduhn for a period of two years and to order Beduhn to make certain payments. In accepting the Board’s recommendation, the Court...