Disciplinary Case Summaries, 0117 COBJ, Vol. 46 No. 1 Pg. 95
Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge
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Nos. 15PDJ046 & 15PDJ102. People v. Al-Haqq. 10/6/2016
A hearing board suspended Wazr- Ali Muhammad Al-Haqq, attorney registration number 19900, from the practice of law for 24 months. Al-Haqq's suspension took effect on November 14, 2016. To be reinstated, Al-Haqq will bear the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that he has been rehabilitated, has complied with disciplinary orders and rules, and is fit to practice law.
Al-Haqq's suspension arose out of his misconduct in three client matters. In the first case, Al-Haqq failed to inform his client, who had been charged with multiple felonies, that he would be out of the country and failed to adequately explain any adverse consequences the trip might have on the client's case. In a second matter, Al-Haqq incompetently represented a client in an immigration case, and he did not sufficiently communicate to her his strategy for helping her obtain a green card. In addition, he charged this client an unreasonable fee for his incompetent representation While representing a third client in a workers' compensation matter, Al-Haqq failed to act with reasonable diligence and collected an unreasonable fee for the minimal work he completed. When his client terminated his services, Al-Haqq refused to return the case file. In all three matters, Al-Haqq technically converted his clients' funds by depositing them into his operating account before they were earned, and he failed to retain accounting, billing, and banking records.
Al-Haqq's misconduct violated Colo. RPC 1.1 (a lawyer shall competently represent a client); Colo. RPC 1.3 (a lawyer shall act with reasonable diligence and promptness when representing a client); Colo. RPC 1.4(b) (a lawyer shall explain a matter so as to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation); Colo. RPC 1.5(a) (a lawyer shall not charge an unreasonable fee); Colo. RPC 1.15(a) (2008) (a lawyer shall hold client property separate from the lawyer's own property); Colo. RPC 1.15(j) (2008) (a lawyer shall maintain certain records related...
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